The Ghana Education Service (GES) has placed a ban on extravagant celebrations by parents and guardians marking the completion of Senior High School by their children on school premises.
A statement signed by the Head of Public Relations at GES, Daniel Fenyi, and dated June 19, 2026, said management of the Service had observed with concern a growing trend of parents engaging in opulent displays to celebrate their children’s completion of school, including the presentation of expensive gifts such as motor vehicles and money bouquets.
While GES said it was not against parents and guardians celebrating the achievements of their children or wards, it stressed its opposition to such ostentatious displays being carried out on school compounds.
“In order to ensure that this practice does not gain roots in the school culture, Management wishes to inform the general public that, henceforth, post-examination celebrations that are characterised by lavish presentation of items such as motor vehicles to students are prohibited on school premises,” the statement said.
The Service further warned that heads of schools who permit such practices on their campuses will be sanctioned.
Explaining the rationale behind the directive, GES noted that schools are designed to serve as social equalizers where merit and personal effort take precedence over economic status.
It added that ostentatious displays of wealth by parents on school premises create visible socio-economic divisions, shift focus away from academic achievement towards financial privilege, and risk fostering psychological distress among students whose parents may not be able to afford similar gestures.
Management of GES has appealed for the cooperation of parents, guardians, and other stakeholders in enforcing the directive.