Heads of public second cycle schools have been warned not to dismiss students without the approval of the Ghana Education Service (GES) Council. Consequently, the GES has directed the heads to comply with its policy guidelines on dismissal of students. This is contained in a circular dated May 12, 2008 and signed by the Director General of the service, Samuel Bannerman- Mensah. Headlined "Policy guidelines on dismissal of students" and addressed to all heads of second cycle schools, regional and district directors, the Conference of Heads of Assisted Senior High Schools and the Chief Director of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports, the circular says: "No matter the gravity of the offence, school authorities must follow laid-down procedure to avoid involving GES in unnecessary litigation that may arise from wrong dismissal of students." The circular stated that any student who commits an offence must be given the opportunity to appear before a properly constituted disciplinary committee to prove his innocence or otherwise. "If the committee decides that the offence is serious enough to merit dismissal, the issue must be referred to the Board of Governors while the student goes on an indefinite suspension." When the board endorses the dismissal, then the comprehensive report on the board’s decision together with the minutes of the disciplinary committee be referred to the Director General. "The Director General in consultation with the GES Council, will determine the fate of the student and inform the school in writing." "No school is therefore permitted to dismiss any student without reference to the Director General’s office," the circular cautioned. It advised the heads to make rules and regulations governing the schools clear to the students and their guardians on admission. The circular said parents and guardians may withdraw their wards when it is obvious that their continued stay in the school will not be beneficial to them. It said although management fully supports application of sanctions in maintaining discipline it will not condone arbitrary dismissal of students under any circumstance. It noted that some school authorities dismiss students without following policy guidelines of the service either out of ignorance or in complete defiance of the policy. The GES, said the essence of punishment in any form should be to help reform the offender and not to destroy him or her. It therefore, advised heads who are in doubt to seek clarification from their experienced colleagues or from the Director of Secondary Education. Source: The Ghanaian Times