Eduwatch Africa has issued a strong statement opposing the exclusion of pupils from basic school assessments due to the non-payment of exam fees or printing charges.
The education advocacy group raised the alarm following reports that some public school heads are demanding payments from parents and threatening to prevent their children from writing end-of-term exams.
According to Eduwatch, term assessments in public basic schools are scheduled to begin on Monday, April 7, 2025. In a statement released on Saturday, April 5, the organisation emphasized that any form of compulsory fee collection linked to exam participation violates Ghana’s Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (fCUBE) policy.
Eduwatch acknowledged that while parental support is important, such contributions must remain strictly voluntary. The group referenced the Pre-Tertiary Education Act, 2020 (Act 1049), which guarantees free and compulsory basic education for every Ghanaian child. Section 3 of the Act clearly states that no child shall be denied access to education due to financial constraints.
The organisation further stressed that excluding pupils over unpaid fees is not only unlawful but also unjust, particularly for children from low-income families.
Eduwatch is calling on the Minister for Education to ensure the timely release of government funding to enable schools to conduct assessments without shifting the burden onto parents. The group also urged the Ghana Education Service (GES) to take immediate steps to prevent the exclusion of any pupil and to sanction any school head found guilty of such actions.
“The right to basic education is fundamental and unconditional. Its direct funding must remain a non-negotiable obligation of the state,” the statement concluded.
As a leading voice for equity in education, Eduwatch Africa continues to advocate for a fair and inclusive school system, where no child is left behind due to the inability to pay exam fees.
