The Ministry of Education has justified its choice to suspend activities related to extravagant celebrations at Senior High School (SHS) graduation ceremonies, asserting that such displays pose a risk of fostering a ‘class society’ within educational institutions.
In an interview, the Press Secretary to the Minister, Hashmin Mohammed, emphasized that school campuses should focus on character development and inclusivity rather than serve as venues for showcasing wealth.
‘School campuses are bastions for shaping character beyond merely acquiring numeracy and literacy,’ he remarked.
He noted that the Minister for Education instructed the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service to cease activities associated with ostentatious graduation celebrations following concerns about the rising displays of affluence in certain schools.
‘We do not wish to create a scenario where a class society emerges in our various senior high schools,’ Mohammed asserted.
In response to concerns that parents should have the freedom to celebrate their children as they see fit, he contended that individual choices should not compromise the overarching values that support the nation’s educational framework.
“A personal choice made by any parent, student, or guardian should not undermine the collective interest or the shared moral values of our education system.
“We cannot permit a few individuals to distort the moral fabric of our educational system,” he emphasised.
Mohammed elaborated that extravagant gifts and displays during graduation ceremonies could impose undue pressure on students from less affluent backgrounds.
“It corrupts the system in a way that it places pressure on other students whose parents or guardians may not be able to afford such luxuries.
“If we allow this trend to proliferate, it will become a norm that every parent or student will expect from their parents. In doing so, we will be fostering a class society, which we do not desire.
“Once we allow the trend to grow, it becomes something that is a norm that every parent or every student will be demanding from their parents. And in doing that, we’ll be creating a class society and we don’t want that kind of class society.”
He emphasised that graduation ceremonies are meant to signify the conclusion of an academic journey and should not serve as platforms for demonstrating affluence.
In response to increasing public apprehension regarding ostentatious displays of wealth during these events, the Ministry of Education has mandated the suspension of SHS graduation ceremonies.
