The Ghana Education Service (GES) has dismissed social media reports claiming that the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy has been cancelled and that parents and guardians have been directed to pay GH¢1,500 for chop boxes and trunks.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, the GES described the reports as false and urged the public to disregard them.
The statement, signed by the Head of Public Relations, Daniel Fenyi, said the Director-General of the GES had not cancelled the Free SHS policy and had not issued any directive requiring parents or guardians to make payments for chop boxes, trunks or other school-related items.
The Service also clarified that the Director-General does not have the legal authority to unilaterally cancel a government policy.
GES has therefore cautioned parents, guardians and students against giving money to individuals who may attempt to exploit the false claims by demanding payments for school provisions.
The Service encouraged the public to verify information through official GES communication channels before acting on messages circulating on social media.
It also appealed to media organisations and social media users to avoid publishing or sharing unverified information that could create unnecessary fear and confusion among students and parents.
The warning comes as the GES seeks to prevent members of the public from falling victim to fraudulent demands linked to the Free SHS programme.
