The Ghana Education Service has banned flamboyant post-examination celebrations on school premises, citing concerns over growing displays of wealth during celebrations of students completing Senior High School.
In a statement dated June 19, 2026, and signed by the Head of Public Relations, Daniel Fenyi, GES said it had observed an emerging trend where some parents and guardians present expensive gifts, including motor vehicles and money bouquets, to their children or wards on school campuses.
GES clarified that it is not against parents and guardians celebrating the academic achievements of their children. However, it said such celebrations should not take the form of ostentatious displays on school premises.
According to the Service, post-examination celebrations involving lavish presentations, especially items such as vehicles, are now prohibited on school campuses. Heads of schools who allow such practices on their campuses will face sanctions.
GES explained that schools are meant to serve as social equalizers, where merit and personal effort take precedence over economic status. It warned that visible displays of wealth on school premises could deepen socio-economic divisions among students, shift attention from academic achievement to financial privilege, and create psychological distress among students whose parents cannot afford similar celebrations.
The Service called on parents, guardians and other stakeholders to cooperate with the directive.