The Ghana Education Service has imposed a strict ban on lavish post-WASSCE celebrations involving cars, money bouquets, and expensive gifts on SHS campuses. School heads who violate the directive risk sanctions.

Introduction

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has announced a strict nationwide ban on ostentatious post-examination celebrations involving the presentation of expensive gifts to students on Senior High School (SHS) campuses.

The directive follows growing concerns over the increasing trend of parents and guardians presenting luxury gifts, including motor vehicles, large cash gifts, and money bouquets, to graduating students immediately after the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

According to GES, the practice threatens the core values of equity, merit, and inclusiveness that schools are expected to promote.

GES Announces Immediate Ban on Lavish Graduation Gifts

In a press release dated June 19, 2026, and signed by Daniel Fenyi, Head of Public Relations at GES, the Service directed all schools to prohibit such celebrations on their premises with immediate effect.

The statement noted that while academic success deserves recognition and celebration, school environments must remain spaces where achievement is measured by effort, discipline, and academic performance rather than financial status.

Why GES Is Taking Action

GES explained that public displays of wealth during graduation celebrations have become increasingly common in some schools across the country.

According to the Service, these displays create unhealthy comparisons among students and undermine the principles of equal opportunity that public education seeks to uphold.

The Service further stated that lavish gift presentations can:

• Create socio-economic divisions among students
• Shift attention from academic achievement to financial privilege
• Cause emotional and psychological distress to less privileged students
• Promote unhealthy competition among parents and guardians
• Undermine the inclusive nature of the school environment

GES emphasized that schools should remain places where every learner feels valued regardless of family background or economic circumstances.

Gifts and Celebrations Prohibited on School Premises

Under the new directive, the following activities are prohibited on school campuses after examinations:

• Presentation of motor vehicles to students
• Display of large cash gifts
• Money bouquets and similar cash arrangements
• Public ceremonies centered on expensive gifts
• Any extravagant celebration that promotes financial status over academic accomplishment

The directive applies to all Senior High Schools under the Ghana Education Service.

What Parents and Guardians Can Still Do

GES clarified that the directive does not prevent parents and guardians from celebrating their children’s academic achievements.

Families may still organize celebrations and present gifts at:

• Homes
• Churches
• Community centres
• Event venues
• Other private locations outside school premises

The Service stressed that its concern relates specifically to activities conducted within school compounds.

School Heads Face Sanctions for Non-Compliance

GES has warned that heads of schools who permit such celebrations on their campuses will face disciplinary action.

The Service expects school authorities to ensure full compliance with the directive and work closely with parents, students, and other stakeholders to maintain order and uphold the values of the education system.

School leaders are therefore expected to communicate the directive clearly to students and parents ahead of graduation activities.

What the Directive Means for WASSCE 2026 Candidates

For members of the Class of 2026 currently completing their WASSCE examinations, the directive means that celebrations involving vehicle presentations, money bouquets, and similar displays will no longer be permitted on school grounds.

While parents remain free to reward their children for academic success, such activities must take place away from school premises.

The move is expected to bring greater focus to academic achievement and reduce social pressure among graduating students.

GES Reaffirms Commitment to Equity in Education

The latest directive forms part of broader efforts by the Ghana Education Service to promote fairness, inclusiveness, and equal opportunities within Ghana’s education system.

GES believes that schools should continue to serve as social equalizers where students are recognized for their hard work, character, and academic excellence rather than their economic backgrounds.

The Service has therefore called on parents, teachers, school administrators, and students to support the implementation of the directive in the interest of maintaining a healthy and equitable learning environment.

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