SHS graduation was never part of the GES calendar – Kwadwo Poku

Energy analyst and former New Patriotic Party presidential aspirant Kwadwo Poku has questioned the emergence of graduation ceremonies in Ghana’s public senior high schools, arguing that the practice was never part of the Ghana Education Service framework.

His comments follow a directive by the Ministry of Education suspending all SHS graduation ceremonies over concerns about increasing displays of wealth, including luxury vehicles, cash bouquets and elaborate celebrations on school campuses.

Speaking on JoyNews, Poku said graduation ceremonies did not exist in public secondary schools during his time.

“When did we start doing graduation in secondary schools, public secondary schools?” he asked.

“The calendar is organised by GES. Does GES put graduation in our calendar?”

According to him, schools traditionally organised speech and prize-giving days rather than graduation ceremonies.

“We had speech and prize-giving days. At that point, there was no graduation,” he said.

Poku suggested that the practice has gradually become accepted in public schools despite not being formally embedded within the GES system.

He said the current debate should prompt a broader discussion on whether such ceremonies fit within the structure and objectives of public education.

-mynewsgh