The Ghana Education Service (GES) has directed Senior High Schools (SHSs) and Senior High Technical Schools (SHTSs) to stop turning away duly admitted boarding students because of the type of trunks, chop boxes or other personal storage containers they bring to school.
The directive follows reports that some schools had been refusing to accommodate newly admitted students who arrived with storage containers that did not conform to requirements prescribed by individual schools.
According to the GES, such practices could place unnecessary financial pressure on parents and guardians, particularly those who may not have the means to purchase specific brands or types of storage containers demanded by some schools.
The Service has therefore stressed that students who have been admitted to boarding accommodation must be treated fairly and should not be discriminated against based on their economic circumstances or their parents’ ability to purchase particular personal effects.
GES has instructed Regional Directors to communicate the directive to heads of schools and ensure that duly admitted students are not denied admission or boarding accommodation solely because of the type of trunk, chop box or storage container they bring.
The directive specifically covers items such as metal trunks and wooden chop boxes, which are commonly used by students preparing to begin their secondary education.
However, the GES clarified that the directive does not mean schools must accept storage containers that create safety or welfare concerns.
The Service said the containers brought by students should be reasonably sized and safe and must not pose a risk to the health, safety or welfare of other students.
This means schools can continue to enforce legitimate requirements relating to the size and safety of students’ personal belongings. What they are not permitted to do is deny a duly admitted boarding student accommodation solely because the student arrived with a particular type of storage container.
GES has also directed that any reported case involving a duly admitted student being turned away or denied accommodation solely because of the type of trunk or chop box brought to school should be investigated and reported to Management.
Heads of SHSs and SHTSs who fail to comply with the directive could face action in accordance with the applicable standards, regulations and laws governing the Ghana Education Service.
The directive is expected to provide some relief to parents and guardians who may already have purchased storage containers for their children and could otherwise have been required to spend additional money on replacements.
For families preparing their children for boarding school, the issue of school requirements can involve several expenses, including uniforms, bedding, footwear, books and other personal items.
GES’s latest instruction seeks to ensure that the type of storage container a family can afford does not become a reason for a student who has already secured admission to lose access to boarding accommodation.
The Service has consequently urged Regional Directors and school authorities to ensure that the directive is implemented and that newly admitted students are treated fairly while legitimate health and safety standards are maintained.
Source: Thepressradio.com
