The Minister for Education, Dr Yaw Adutwum, has cautioned the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) and Principals of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Institutions, against preventing students from reporting to school for their studies due to their inability to procure items on the various prospectus given them.

The Minister also advised the CHASS and Heads of TVET institutions against discouraging or preventing students from having access to education.

Speaking at a meeting with the CHASS and Heads of TVET institutions, held in Kumasi in the Ashanti region, the Minister urged the various heads, to create an enabling environment for students, where they can study and excel.

“There is no way any student should be turned away from school because the parents have not been able to procure some items on the school’s prospectus,” the Minister warned.

He continued that: “At least, let them come to the school and the rest could be procured with some time.”

The CHASS attended their meeting with the Minister, on Saturday, 11 March 2022, while the Heads of the TVET institutions held theirs on Sunday, 12 March 2023.

The purpose of the meeting, which is held annually was to discuss the current state of the country’s educational system, new developments in the country’s educational system and the issues affecting them.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Education Service (GES) has called on Heads of Second Cycle institutions across the country to stick to the approved harmonised prospectus for form one students.

The GES also reminded Heads of Second Cycle institutions, that issuing unapproved prospectus and selling items supplied by government to students is prohibited.

According to the GES, its attention has been drawn to reports that some Heads of Second Cycle schools across the country, are issuing unapproved prospectus to form one students and selling some of the items to students who report to their schools for admission.

A statement issued by the GES, signed by the Acting Director for Schools and Instructions Division, Prince Charles Agyemang-Duah, noted some Heads are also selling “items that are supplied by government to the students.”

“Management of the Ghana Education Service takes strong exception to this practice, and wishes to state unequivocally that the practice is prohibited and must cease with immediate effect,” the statement said.

It indicated that “investigations will soon commence into the issues to ensure that the right things are done in our schools.”

It stressed that “any Head of school caught demanding any item (s) aside the approved ones will be severely sanctioned.”

“Parents should be allowed to buy the approved items on the prospectus from the open market not in the schools to avoid any conflict of interest on the part of the school authorities,” the statement added.