Accra, Sept. 22, GNA – The Ghana Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Service has warned institutions against charging unapproved fees during the ongoing admissions process, saying such practices undermine the government’s Free TVET policy.
The service said it had received reports that some TVET institutions were demanding payments from prospective students and parents, including admission processing charges and compulsory purchases of prospectuses.
In a statement, the Ghana TVET Service said no student or parent was required to make any payment beyond those officially approved as part of the admissions process under the government’s policy to provide equitable access to technical and vocational education.
“The imposition of charges under the guise of admission processing fees, or compulsory prospectus purchases is unacceptable and constitutes a clear violation of established directives,” the statement said.
The service said the alleged fees risked creating the impression that technical and vocational education had become expensive, contrary to the government’s Free TVET policy.
To address the issue, the service said it had launched nationwide monitoring and compliance exercises, deploying Academic Calendar Monitoring Teams to TVET institutions across the country to assess admission procedures and ensure adherence to approved guidelines.
It warned that heads of institutions and staff found to be collecting or facilitating the collection of unauthorised fees would face disciplinary measures in line with regulations governing the service.
The Ghana TVET Service also urged parents and guardians not to make unapproved payments and encouraged them to report any such incidents through official channels.
The government introduced the Free TVET policy to expand access to technical and vocational education and reduce financial barriers for students seeking skills training.
The service reiterated its commitment to protecting the integrity of the programme, saying it would take all necessary measures to ensure that no Ghanaian child was denied access to education because of financial constraints.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Odeng Adade