The Ministry of Education has directed the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES) to suspend all senior high school (SHS) graduation ceremonies nationwide with immediate effect, pending a review of existing guidelines governing such events.
It said the ministry had taken note of growing public concerns regarding the increasing trend of excessive display of wealth and flamboyance during graduation ceremonies in some SHSs across the country.
"The ministry strongly condemns any conduct by students, parents, guardians or other stakeholders that promotes extravagance and detracts from the true purpose of school ceremonies," a statement signed by Hashmi Mohammed, the Press Secretary to the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, said.
Development
It emphasised that schools were institutions for learning, character development, discipline, and the nurturing of responsible citizens.
"Graduation ceremonies are intended to celebrate academic achievement and personal growth and should, therefore, reflect the values of modesty, dignity, and respect associated with the educational environment," it said.
The statement said the ministry remained committed to ensuring that all school activities uphold the highest standards of discipline, responsibility and moral development, in line with the objectives of Ghana's education system.
Reactions
Meanwhile, the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and two think tanks have reacted to the action.
While GNAT and the Africa Education Watch (Edu watch) have welcomed the suspension as a vital interim measure, calling for an outright ban eventually, Child Rights International, while it remained within the authority of the ministry to impose such a ban, it should be seen as a suspension, not a permanent decision, while the matter is reviewed.
GNAT
In response to the development, the General Secretary of GNAT, Thomas Musah, said, "We totally support the decision of the Ministry of Education" to suspend graduation ceremonies in second cycle schools.
"So we must first and foremost understand the purpose of education. That is a key thing.
When we understand the purpose of education, whatever we do and whatever activities we want to carry out within the space of the education arena should aim at promoting and enhancing the education of our children and of the future generation," he said.
Among other things, Mr Musah said this is the time that these children should be contributing to the discussion on issues confronting the country, including indiscipline in schools.
The General Secretary of GNAT said that at age 18, a child qualified to become an assembly member and at 21, a Member of Parliament and that once they were almost 18, they should be thinking about what they were bringing to the table in terms of national contributions.
"Remember, our elders say that the child who knows how to wash his or her hands will be dining with the elders.
So at this particular stage, we, the parents, must help them to realise the enormous responsibility, the enormous task that has been placed upon them," Mr Musah said.
The GNAT Secretary said parents should not try to create the particular impression that the world was all rosy by giving them all those kinds of gifts.
CRI
The Executive Director of CRI, Bright Appiah, said the suspension should not be considered a permanent decision because the starting point for any education policy should be the welfare and development of children and young people.
“The question should always be whether a policy helps students learn, grow and prepare for the future.
“What we are seeing at some graduation ceremonies points to a lack of clear rules and direction,” he added.
Mr Appiah said in some cases, the events had shifted away from celebrating academic achievement and become displays of wealth and social status.
He equally stressed that parents and guardians had a role to play because schools were meant for learning, discipline and personal growth, saying, “They should not become places where students feel pressured to compete over money, appearance or family background.”
The CRI Executive Director said the discussion should not end with the suspension of graduation ceremonies, but authorities should look into incidents that went against the purpose of educational institutions and take action where necessary.
“There is also a need to ensure that school activities do not create unnecessary social pressure on students or leave some feeling excluded because of their financial circumstances,” he added.
Mr Appiah said the review should go beyond graduation ceremonies with clear guidelines issued for anniversary celebrations and other activities organised by Old Students Associations on school campuses.
Eduwatch
An Advocacy organisation, Eduwatch, said the suspension was a vital interim measure, calling for an eventual outright ban.
For Eduwatch, graduation ceremonies in second-cycle schools had become unnecessarily costly, with parents often burdened by expenses for events that add little educational value.
"They also fuel materialism, social comparison and needless pressure on families.
"The ceremony solves no problem; neither would its absence create any.
Let’s abolish it outright," the Executive Director of Eduwatch, Kofi Asare, told the Daily Graphic last Saturday.
