The Ghana Education Service (GES) has asked heads of schools not to turn away newly admitted students or refuse to accommodate them over metal trunks or wooden chop boxes.

“These practices may impose unnecessary financial burdens on parents and guardians who may be unable to afford alternative storage containers prescribed by individual schools,” the GES said in a statement.

“All students admitted to boarding accommodation should be treated fairly and accommodated without discrimination based on their economic circumstances or the ability of their parents or guardians to purchase a particular brand or type of personal effects.”

The statement, signed by Professor Mrs Smile Dzisi, the Deputy GES Director-General, comes after Management of the Service received reports that some senior high schools and senior high technical schools (SHS/SHTS) were turning newly admitted students or refusing to accommodate them because they brought metal trunks, wooden chop boxes or other personal storage containers to school.

Consequently, the GES has asked regional directors to inform all heads to desist from turning away or refusing admissions to duly admitted students solely on the basis of the type of trunk, chop box, or personal storage container they brought to school.

Provided the item was reasonably sized, safe and did not pose a risk to the health, safety or welfare of other students, those students must not be refused accommodation, it added.

The statement said: “Any reported case of a duly admitted student being denied accommodation or turned away solely because of the type of trunk, chop box or personal storage container brought to school should be investigated and same reported to management.”

“Any head of SHS/SHSTS who flouts this directive shall be dealt with in accordance with the applicable standards, regulations and laws of the Service.”