President John Mahama has directed all heads of second cycle institutions to make provisions for qualified students to go and vote on election day.

Speaking at the commissioning of the 22nd Community Day Senior High at Diaso in the Upper Denkyira West of the Central Region, the President noted it is the civic responsibility of these students to do so.

He assured the chiefs and people of the area that his government will continue to invest in education and also appealed to them to take good care of the facility. 

The President's call comes off the back of the Ghana Education Service (GES) statement signed by the officer in charge of public relations, Rev Jonathan Bettey which reads:

"The Management of the GES wishes to inform all stakeholders of education especially Heads of institutions, teachers, media, Students and the general public that, 7th December the election day is not a statutory Holiday. 

"However, the GES wishes to clarify that, the Basic Education level, the affected schools, and teachers are permitted a day off to enable the premises of such schools to be used as polling stations and the selected teachers to perform their National assignment respectively on the election day. 

"At the secondary level, those who turned 18 years and above and registered during the recent registration exercise will be allowed to go to their respective polling stations with exeat to exercise their right after which they are expected to return to school.  
Heads are requested to follow this directive strictly. 

"Basic Schools vacation remains Thursday 15th December and SHS vacate as scheduled. Many thanks."

Explaining the directive further, Rev Bettey told Joy News those who have no business with the elections are expected to be in schools adding the Service has no mandate to declare a holiday.

He said the teachers in the basic schools who are not involved in the election are expected to go and cast their ballot and report to school. 

"We have the data of the teachers involved and they are few so we expect those not involved to go back and take care of the children...it is not a holiday for students to be wandering off their schools," he said.