The Ghana Education Service (GES) has dismissed reports circulating on social media claiming that the Director-General has cancelled the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy and directed parents and guardians to pay GH¢1,500 for chop boxes, trunks and other items.
In a circular issued on Tuesday, August 18, the GES described the publication as false and urged parents, students and the general public to disregard it.
The clarification comes amid preparations for students entering senior high schools, with the alleged directive reportedly causing concern among parents and guardians.
According to the GES, neither has the Free SHS policy been cancelled nor has the Director-General issued any directive requiring parents or guardians to make payments for chop boxes, trunks or other items.
The Service stressed that its Director-General does not have the authority to cancel a national policy, further dismissing the claim that the Free SHS programme had been scrapped.
“Management wishes to state categorically that the publication is FALSE and should be disregarded. Management has not cancelled the Free SHS policy, nor has the Director-General issued any directive requiring parents or guardians to pay any money for chop boxes, trunks or any other item.”
GES therefore urged parents, guardians and students not to make any payments to individuals based on the information circulating on social media.
The Service said the public should rely only on official information communicated through its authorised channels and exercise caution when dealing with unverified publications, particularly those circulating on social media.
“Parents, guardians, students and the general public are therefore urged not to make any payments to anyone. The GES advises the public to rely only on official communications issued through the Service’s authorised channels and to treat unverified publications on social media with caution.”
