Economist and Executive Director of the Startrite Montessori School, Professor Peter Quartey, has criticised the Ghana Education Service's (GES) decision to ban graduation ceremonies and related activities in pre-tertiary schools, describing the move as a "knee-jerk reaction" that punishes schools instead of addressing the excesses that prompted the directive.

Speaking on Joy FM's Super Morning Show on Tuesday, Prof. Quartey said the GES failed to consult private school operators or their representative associations before issuing the directive, despite the significant implications for schools, parents and pupils.

"A big no, not at all, and none of the private associations that we belong to were consulted," he said when asked whether stakeholders had been engaged before the announcement.

The GES on Monday announced an immediate ban on graduation ceremonies and related activities, citing growing excesses associated with such events.

However, Prof. Quartey questioned the scope of the directive, arguing that the phrase "related activities" was too vague and could inadvertently affect long-standing educational traditions such as speech and prize-giving ceremonies.

"It's also vague to me, very vague. We grew up in this country with graduation ceremonies, speech and prize-giving ceremonies and all other related activities. These occasions provide opportunities to reward hardworking students, recognise dedicated teachers and celebrate achievement," he said.

According to him, many schools had already invested substantial resources in organising end-of-term ceremonies before the directive was issued.

He argued that abruptly halting planned events would result in financial losses for schools while disappointing students, teachers and parents who had spent months preparing for them.

Prof Quartey said the GES, per its issued directive, was very aware schools had already planned such ceremonies.

"It says 'planned graduation ceremonies', so you know people have planned, invested money, and then you ask them to stop. All the investments, all the money and all the hopes and aspirations of these young ones and teachers have been dashed," he stated.

While acknowledging that some schools had introduced extravagant practices that deserved to be addressed, Prof. Quartey insisted that regulation—not prohibition—was the appropriate response.

"Inasmuch as I agree that there are excesses which need to be curbed, if you want to curb excesses, you provide guidelines and directions. You don't ban. I think this is a knee-jerk reaction," he stressed.

He disclosed that he and other stakeholders had attempted to seek clarification from GES officials following the announcement but were yet to receive a clear explanation on whether the ban was temporary or permanent.

"We've tried reaching out to the authorities, but so far I've not had any feedback as to what the intentions are and what they hope to do. Whether it's a permanent ban or just a temporary one, we don't know yet," he said.

According to him, officials indicated only that complaints about graduation ceremonies had become too frequent, prompting the decision to suspend them while authorities considered the way forward.

Prof. Quartey maintained that graduation ceremonies serve broader educational purposes beyond celebrating pupils completing one stage of schooling.

He explained that such events motivate students through awards and recognition, encourage parents to support their children's education and provide schools with an opportunity to account to parents on academic progress, challenges and future plans.

He added that schools also use the occasions to honour hardworking staff and invite experts to educate parents and students on issues such as digital technology, career guidance, the future of work and screen addiction.

"We use the opportunity to reward students, motivate them and engage parents. If you see your colleague receiving a prize, it motivates you. Parents also get a report about the school's progress and challenges. We also bring in resource persons to speak on important issues that benefit both parents and students," he said.

The educationist further argued that the reported excesses—including expensive celebrations and lavish displays—should be dealt with through clear regulations rather than an outright ban.

He also linked the issue to broader concerns about spending within the education sector, pointing to what he described as contradictions under the Free Senior High School policy.

"The same people we say cannot pay school fees and therefore government pays their fees, provides uniforms and textbooks are the same people displaying expensive cars and money bouquets during school ceremonies," he said, adding that the Free SHS programme itself required review to better target beneficiaries.

Prof. Quartey questioned whether the GES intended to extend the ban to higher educational institutions if the rationale was to eliminate graduation ceremonies altogether.

"If we ban them at the pre-tertiary level, what happens when they get to the universities? Are we also going to ban university graduation ceremonies? What are we doing? We need guidelines, we need direction, we need directives," he argued.

Responding to concerns that some schools organise graduation ceremonies too frequently and impose financial burdens on parents, he agreed that those practices should be addressed but insisted that existing structures such as Parent-Teacher Associations could resolve such issues.

"If somebody is taking advantage by charging excessive or exorbitant fees, then we need to deal with those issues, not ban the ceremonies altogether," he said.

Drawing on international examples, Prof. Quartey noted that graduation ceremonies for very young children are common in countries such as the United States.

He recounted attending a kindergarten graduation ceremony in Houston, Texas, involving his relatives' children, arguing that Ghana should focus on regulating ceremonies rather than abolishing them.

He, however, distanced himself from what he described as excessive prom-night culture and lavish social media displays.

"Yes, these excesses have to be curbed; the prom nights and whatever. For me, it's nauseating when I see these things being advertised and flaunted on social media. I frown on those things," he said.

Nevertheless, he maintained that educational ceremonies contribute significantly to children's development by building confidence, nurturing talent and exposing them to learning experiences beyond the classroom.

"We don't only get knowledge from the classroom. Children learn through these events too—reciting poems, performing and participating in activities that shape their mindset and future," he said.

Prof. Quartey urged the GES to reconsider the directive and replace the blanket ban with comprehensive policy guidelines that preserve the educational value of graduation ceremonies while eliminating their excesses.

"We need to rethink this. We need guidelines, we need policies—not a total ban. It's a knee-jerk reaction, in my view," he said.