Eduwatch Africa has expressed concern over some school heads demanding that parents pay examination or printing fees.

The organisation has raised the alarm after reports emerged that some heads are threatening to exclude pupils whose parents do not comply with these fees.

"Public Basic Schools' term assessments start on Monday, 7th April. Some school heads are demanding parents pay examination or printing fees, threatening to exclude pupils whose parents do not comply," noted in a statement issued on Saturday, April 5.

According to Eduwatch, they acknowledge the importance of parental contributions towards school development and learning but such contributions should remain "voluntary."

The organisation stressed that this aligns with the policies and laws governing the delivery of Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (fCUBE) in Ghana.

The Pre-Tertiary Education Act of 2020 (Act 1049), specifically Section 2(b), states that "basic education shall be free, compulsory, and universal." Section 3 further ensures that no child shall be excluded from education due to economic hindrances.

Eduwatch firmly opposes any practice that would prevent children from fully participating in their right to basic education, particularly if such exclusion is based on socio-economic factors, including the inability to pay additional fees.

As a key advocate for equity in education, Eduwatch highlighted that it is the responsibility of the Government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Education, to ensure that the necessary funds are available for the conduct of school-based assessments.

Despite the long-standing issue of delayed funding for these purposes, Eduwatch argues that continually placing the financial burden on parents to cover systemic funding deficits is not a sustainable solution.

In light of this, Eduwatch has called on the Minister for Education to ensure that basic schools receive timely funding to conduct end-of-term assessments without imposing additional financial burdens on parents, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The organisation also called on the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES) to ensure that no pupil is excluded from the upcoming assessments due to their parents' inability to pay any additional fees.

Eduwatch further urged the GES Director-General to impose disciplinary measures on school heads who allow the exclusion of students for non-payment of fees.

"The right to basic education is fundamental and unconditional," Eduwatch concluded in its statement. "Its direct funding must remain a non-negotiable obligation of the state."

Eduwatch Africa continues to advocate for a fair and equitable education system, where every child’s right to education is upheld, regardless of their socio-economic status.