The Ghana Education Service has firmly rejected reports circulating across social media alleging that the Director General has terminated the Free Senior High School policy and instructed parents and guardians to pay GH¢1,500 for chop boxes, trunks and other items required by students entering second cycle institutions.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, August 18, the education management agency described the publication as completely false and called on parents, guardians, students and members of the public to disregard the information.
The clarification comes as schools and families prepare for the admission of students into senior high schools, with the unverified claim reportedly generating anxiety among parents who feared that the government had introduced new financial obligations under the Free SHS programme.
The Ghana Education Service explained that there has been no decision to terminate the Free SHS policy and emphasised that its Director General has not instructed parents or guardians to provide money for chop boxes, trunks or any other items associated with students’ admission.
Management further pointed out that the Director General does not possess the constitutional or administrative authority to independently abolish a national policy of such significance. The Service therefore rejected both aspects of the circulating publication and reaffirmed that Free SHS remains in operation.
The GES urged parents and guardians to exercise extreme caution and refrain from making payments to individuals who may attempt to exploit the false information. It warned that relying on unverified messages circulating through social media could expose families to fraudulent demands and unnecessary financial losses.
The Service also appealed to students and the wider public to obtain information concerning school admissions, requirements and other matters directly from authorised GES communication platforms rather than relying on posts whose authenticity cannot be established.
The warning is particularly relevant during the period preceding the reopening and placement of students, when parents and guardians are often required to obtain various items and complete administrative arrangements for their children’s transition into senior high school.
According to the GES, any legitimate directive affecting the Free SHS programme or imposing financial obligations on parents would be communicated through the Service’s recognised official channels. The public has consequently been advised to treat claims appearing on social media with caution unless they have been independently confirmed by the appropriate authorities.
The Service’s intervention is intended to prevent confusion and protect families from potentially fraudulent payment demands arising from the false publication.
The GES has therefore reiterated that the Free SHS programme has not been cancelled and that no directive has been issued by its Director General requiring parents or guardians to pay GH¢1,500 for chop boxes, trunks or related items.
Parents, guardians and students have consequently been encouraged to disregard the circulating claim and depend exclusively on verified communication from the Ghana Education Service and other authorised government channels for accurate information concerning the Free SHS programme.
