GES Bans Lavish Post-Exam Celebrations on SHS Campuses

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has announced an immediate ban on extravagant post-examination celebrations on Senior High School (SHS) campuses, prohibiting the presentation of expensive gifts such as motor vehicles and money bouquets to students on school premises.

The directive, contained in a statement issued by the Head of Public Relations, Daniel Fenyi, on Thursday, June 19, 2026, follows growing concerns over what the Service describes as an emerging trend of flamboyant celebrations organised by some parents and guardians after their children complete their final examinations.

According to the GES, although it does not oppose parents celebrating the achievements of their children, such celebrations should not take the form of ostentatious displays of wealth within school compounds.

The Service explained that schools are intended to serve as environments that promote equality, where students are recognised for their merit and personal effort rather than their family’s economic status. It noted that the public display of luxury gifts on school premises creates visible socio-economic divisions among students, shifts attention away from academic achievement, and may cause psychological distress to students whose families cannot afford similar gestures.

To prevent the practice from becoming part of school culture, GES stated that all post-examination celebrations involving lavish gifts, including vehicles and other expensive items, are prohibited on school premises with immediate effect.

The statement further warned that heads of schools who permit such activities on their campuses will face sanctions.

GES called on parents, guardians, and all stakeholders in the education sector to cooperate with the directive in order to preserve the values of fairness, inclusiveness, and academic excellence within Ghana’s schools.