Ghana: Education Minister Orders Probe into Alleged Charges for Free SHS Online Classes.

Education Minister Orders Probe into Alleged Charges for Free SHS Online Classes.

Government Investigates Allegations

Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has announced that the government will investigate claims that some senior high schools are charging students up to GH₵600 for online classes that are supposed to be free. This announcement came during a radio interview on Joy FM on April 8, 2026, following a listener's allegation that schools were imposing these fees under the guise of PTA and local levies.

“This is something that will be dealt with,” Mr. Iddrisu assured. However, he did not verify the mentioned GH₵600 fee or specify any schools involved. The Minister did acknowledge the possibility of charges being imposed despite the educational resources being intended as free.

Online Learning Programme Concerns

The complaint arises during the off-campus online learning period for Form Two students in transitional senior high schools, which runs from March 16 to April 17, 2026.

According to the Ghana Education Service's academic calendar, this period is recognized as mandatory instructional time, and all online resources should be freely accessible to students. Mr. Iddrisu also noted that the distribution of tablets, essential for the online programme, had not yet been completed nationwide.

“Tablets are being distributed around the country,” he mentioned, without providing a specific timeline for the completion.

To ensure compliance, the Ghana Education Service plans to deploy officials for monitoring, although no specific start date for this exercise was given.

Sanitation Issues at Ghana Senior High School.

During the same interview, sanitation conditions at Ghana Senior High School in Tamale were also discussed. Reports indicated that students were fasting for long periods to avoid using broken toilet facilities. Mr. Iddrisu confirmed speaking with the headmistress and stated that repairs were underway.

There were two of those toilet facilities. One has been fixed. One is in the process of being repaired, and the repair work will be completed by the weekend,” he explained.

While he described media reports as exaggerated, he acknowledged the issue of the broken facilities. The Director General of the Ghana Education Service will address the problem, highlighting a broader issue of inadequate contingency funding for emergency repairs in public schools.

Infrastructure and Funding Challenges

Mr. Iddrisu revealed discussions with the Finance Minister to allocate two percent of the Ghana Education Trust Fund formula for emergencies like storm damage and fire outbreaks. This proposal involves releasing funds from GETFund through the Ghana Education Service to the affected schools, though no timeline for implementation was provided.

He also submitted a cabinet paper to President John Dramani Mahama regarding the suboptimal state of school infrastructure across the country.

“Our basic school dedicated infrastructure is not in the best of shape. We need to do more,” he stated.

Citing a recent building collapse in Accra, Mr. Iddrisu underscored the broader infrastructure challenges. He noted that about $300 million in World Bank funding is expected by July 2026 to support infrastructure improvements, as student populations have increased without corresponding expansions in classrooms and boarding facilities.