The Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Professor Ernest Kofi Davis, has warned headmasters and administrators of schools against flamboyant displays of expensive gifts on school premises.
Prof. Davis, in a press conference on Monday, June 22, 2026, cautioned that headmasters and administrators that would allow such things on their premises risk being removed from office.
According to him, the GES is not against parents and guardians celebrating their children’s work and achievements but rather the ostentatious displays on school premises which does not align with the core aims of education.
“Management is not against the practice of parents and guardians celebrating the achievements of their children or work; management is against the practice of such ostentatious displays by parents on school premises,” he said.
He added that while school culture continues to evolve, such practices do not reflect the values the GES seeks to promote.
“Although we appreciate that school culture evolves, we wish to state that this is not a kind of school culture the Service and many guardians support,” he stated.
On that note, the GES boss reiterated an earlier directive that post-examination celebrations involving lavish presentations such as the gifting of motor vehicles to students are strictly prohibited on school premises.
“In order to ensure that this practice does not gain roots in the school culture, management wishes to inform the general public that henceforth, post-examination celebrations that are characterised by lavish presentation of items, such as motor vehicles to students, are prohibited on school premises,” he said.
Any parent who wish to celebrate their ward’s achievements, Prof. Davis noted, could do so at home.
The directive follows instructions from the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, to the Director-General of the GES, banning all flamboyant post-examination celebrations and graduation ceremonies until further notice.
“Following the directive by the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, to the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, all post-examination flamboyant celebrations and graduation ceremonies are banned under further notice,” he noted.
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Prof. Davis cautioned that heads of schools who fail to enforce the directive will face sanctions.
“Heads of schools who allow post-examination flamboyant celebrations and the organisation of graduation ceremonies on their campus will be sanctioned,” he warned.
He added that all regional directors have been instructed to ensure strict compliance with the directive. According to him, the policy is intended to preserve fairness in schools.
“We believe that schools are designed to promote social equalisers where merit and personal effort take priority over economic status,” he said.
GES bans ‘flamboyant celebrations’ on campuses after completion of SHS
