The Ghana Education Service (GES) has issued a strong directive to all senior high schools and second-cycle institutions nationwide, warning against the collection of unauthorised Parent Teacher Association (PTA) or development levies.

This comes after reports surfaced that some schools were demanding payments from parents—sometimes up to GHC 600—under the pretext of PTA or development fees.

In a statement dated Wednesday, October 22, and signed by Daniel Fenyi, Head of Public Relations at GES, the Service confirmed it had received multiple complaints concerning these illegal collections.

GES clarified that no school has been granted permission to impose or collect any PTA or development-related fees without prior approval from the appropriate education authorities. The statement outlined the official process as follows:

“No school has been authorised to collect any PTA or development levy without prior approval. In basic schools, such approval must come from the District Education Oversight Committee (DEOC) through the District Director of Education, and in second-cycle institutions, from the Regional Director of Education.”

The Service further stressed that even when approval is duly granted, such payments are entirely voluntary, and no student should be denied access to academic or welfare services for non-payment.

GES also warned that no headteacher, teacher, or staff member should be directly involved in the collection of PTA dues, noting that fundraising is solely the responsibility of elected PTA executives.

To ensure compliance, GES has instructed regional and district directors of education to closely monitor all schools and report any violations for immediate disciplinary action.

This latest directive underscores GES’s commitment to maintaining transparency, protecting parents from undue financial burdens, and ensuring equitable access to education across Ghana’s public schools.