Schools demand extra fees under free SHS programme

Some parents whose children are being admitted into Senior High Schools have expressed surprise at the decision of school heads to demand some payments before their wards are admitted.

Government pledged to absorb the cost of secondary education in Ghana under the free SHS policy.

According to Citi FM, some parents were dissatisfied because they were being charged extra fees.

A parent who spoke to CitiNews said “they have asked us to buy text books so I don’t know if government failed to absorb fees for the text books.”

Day students will now pay 367 Ghana cedis while boarders will pay 724 ghana cedis under the new programme.

Government has also absorbed seven items under the admission fees category; two items under the teaching and learning support fees and two items from the PTA categories under the programme.

It however failed to absorb anything from the uniform and clothing category.

The Ghana Education Service earlier  listed schools that are expected to benefit from the implementation of the progressive free SHS policy.

But in an interview with the Public Relations Officer of the GES, Rev Jonathan Bettey said his outfit has not received any report of schools charging extra fees from parents.

Additional files from Citifmonline