Private schools across Ghana will continue holding graduation ceremonies despite a directive by the Ghana Education Service (GES) in Greater Accra banning such events, the Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS) has said.
GNACOPS National Executive Director Enoch Gyetuah argued that the GES lacks the legal authority to impose directives on private schools, insisting that private institutions are not under the administrative control of the service.
His comments come after the Greater Accra Regional Directorate of the GES announced a ban on graduation ceremonies, prom nights and similar events in both public and private schools.
However, Mr Gyetuah maintained that the directive does not apply to private schools.
The directorate said the move was intended to promote discipline, equity and child protection while preventing undue financial burdens on parents and guardians.
“As we speak now, private schools are ongoing, celebrating their graduation ceremonies in a harmonious environment and in accordance with directives issued by the council for the private schools,” Mr Gyetuah said on Citi FM’s Breakfast Show on Wednesday, July 15, 2026.
“The Ghana Education Service, as we speak now, is not the administrative body that regulates the entire education in Ghana based on law,” he said.
He argued that the enactment of the Pre-Tertiary Education Act, 2020 (Act 1049), restructured oversight responsibilities within the education sector, limiting the GES primarily to implementation functions within public education.
“It’s not like we are going to defy it. It’s like they don’t have the mandate,” he said. “You don’t extend your mandates to areas where you don’t have jurisdiction to control.”
According to him, GNACOPS issued a response to the Ministry of Education shortly after the GES directive was announced and has not received any clarification or counter-directive.
“We have shared our response to the ministry, and from 3rd July to date, we have not received any counter or further clarification from the ministry,” he said.
Mr Gyetuah said private schools have continued with graduation activities in line with guidelines developed by the council, including requirements for parental consultation, learner welfare, safeguarding and accountability.
“As I’m talking to you now, last week private schools had their graduation; this week they are going to have [them],” he said. “We are doing so in accordance with the directives that we have given to them.”
He further warned against what he described as an overreach of administrative authority by the GES.
“When you do that, it’s a situation of abuse of power,” he said. “And we will not allow you to be able to do that.”
The GES has said the ban is intended to curb practices that place unnecessary pressure on families and compromise discipline and child protection in schools.
