By Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo
Tema, June 26, GNA-The Ghana Education Service (GES) has begun enforcing the Ministry of Education’s directive banning graduation ceremonies, prom nights, leavers’ celebrations and related activities in pre-tertiary schools across the country.
The Ghana News Agency (GNA) has obtained copies of official communications from the GES directing some schools that had planned graduation ceremonies to suspend the events with immediate effect.
One such directive instructed the management of a school within the Tema area to immediately suspend its planned graduation ceremony.
The letter, signed by Mr Prince C. Agyemang-Duah, Director of Schools and Instructions (Secondary Division), for the Director-General of GES, reminded the school that the Ministry of Education had imposed a total ban on graduation ceremonies, prom nights, leavers’ celebrations and related activities involving pupils and students in both public and private pre-tertiary educational institutions.
According to the directive, the policy was introduced to promote discipline, equity and child protection, while preventing undue financial burden on parents and guardians.
The GES directed the school to suspend all preparations for the event with immediate effect, notify parents, pupils, staff and other stakeholders of the decision, remove all publicity materials relating to the programme, and submit a compliance report through the Municipal Director.
The letter also directed Regional and Municipal Directors to ensure strict compliance with the directive and submit monitoring reports to the Director-General of Education and the Inspector-General of Schools.
It warned that failure to comply with the directive would attract appropriate administrative sanctions in accordance with GES regulations.
The GNA has also confirmed that other schools that had planned graduation ceremonies for their Junior High School finalists who sat the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) have received similar directives ordering the suspension of the events.
The enforcement of the directive is expected to affect several end-of-school celebrations traditionally organised by schools after the BECE examinations.
GNA
Edited by George-Ramsey Benamba
Reporter: Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo