The Ghana Education Service (GES) has clarified that parents are free to voluntarily support the development of schools through financial contributions, materials or labour, provided such support is not made compulsory.
GES Public Relations Officer, Daniel Fenyi, said the Service does not prevent parents who genuinely wish to contribute to the improvement of their children’s schools from doing so.
Speaking to Isaac Addae on Morning Starr on Starr FM, Mr Fenyi explained that voluntary support could take several forms, including money, building materials, roofing sheets, wood, water and labour.
“You may even find some parents who say that, for me, I will contribute a thousand, I’ll contribute 200, I’ll contribute 10,000. I will give water or I’ll provide food for the labourers,” he said.
He said some parents may also offer their skills or provide materials towards the construction and improvement of school infrastructure.
Mr Fenyi stressed, however, that such contributions must remain voluntary and should not be converted into compulsory payments imposed on parents.
“It is voluntary contributions of parents who want to maybe support the school,” he said.
According to him, the distinction is important because while parents may choose to support their children’s schools, schools must not make such contributions a condition for students to access teaching and learning.
He said once a child has been posted to a school and has reported, teaching and learning should proceed without financial demands being placed on the parents.
“The child has been posted to the school, they have reported to the school, teaching and learning should proceed from there,” he said.
Mr Fenyi explained that the position is intended to ensure that financial considerations do not become a barrier to children accessing education.
The GES PRO also disclosed that some schools identified last year for collecting PTA dues were directed to refund the monies collected, with some providing receipts to confirm that the refunds had been made.
Mr Fenyi said although some of the schools previously identified have not repeated the practice, new schools or groups have emerged, making it necessary for the GES to reiterate its position.
He therefore maintained that parental support for schools is welcome, but it must be based on choice rather than obligation.
