By; Ruth Serwaa Asare
The Ghana Education Service (GES) has cautioned heads of schools across the country against the collection of unauthorised levies under the guise of Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) dues.
In a statement issued by the Head of Public Relations, Daniel Fenyi, GES revealed that it has received reports of some second cycle institutions demanding and collecting various levies from students without proper authorisation.
According to the statement, no school has been authorised to collect any PTA or development levy without prior approval from the appropriate authorities.
The Service explained that in basic schools, such approval must be granted by the District Education Oversight Committee (DEOC) through the District Director of Education, while in second-cycle schools, authorisation must come from the Regional Director of Education.
GES further stressed that even when approval is given, the payment of PTA dues remains strictly voluntary, cautioning that no student should be denied access to education or any school service for failure to pay.
The Service also directed that no head, teacher, or GES staff member should take part in the collection of PTA levies, noting that fundraising activities are solely the responsibility of duly elected PTA executives.
Regional and District Directors have been tasked to ensure strict compliance and report any breaches for immediate disciplinary action.
The statement forms part of GES’s efforts to ensure transparency, fairness, and accountability in the management of school-related funds across the country.
READ FULL STATEMENT HERE
