Ghana suspends senior high school graduations over lavish gifts

Cars and money bouquets have turned some senior high school graduations in Ghana into displays of status, and the Ministry of Education has now stepped in. On June 20, Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu ordered the immediate suspension of all SHS graduation ceremonies nationwide, saying the events had drifted too far from their purpose.

The directive, carried out through the Ghana Education Service, is temporary and will stay in force while officials review the guidelines governing graduation ceremonies. The ministry said it was reacting to public criticism of excessive wealth and flamboyance at some schools, including costly gifts that have drawn attention away from learning and achievement. It said schools should emphasize learning, discipline, character development, modesty, dignity and respect, and it condemned conduct by students, parents, guardians and other stakeholders that promotes extravagance.

That language matters because the fight is no longer just about what a family gives. It is about what a graduation is supposed to mean. A certificate, a bouquet, a watch or a modest cash envelope signals support; a car or a money bouquet turns a school ceremony into a spectacle that can embarrass other families and put pressure on everyone else to keep up.

Iddrisu has been signaling that message for months. On May 13, he urged 2026 WASSCE candidates to approach their exams with integrity, discipline and confidence. In October 2025, he also said long hair and inappropriate dressing would not be tolerated in SHSs, part of a broader push to shape school culture around character and order.

The timing is especially sharp because Ghana’s education system is already under strain. The government has been wrestling with Free SHS funding pressures and supplier arrears, even as it tries to push ahead with reforms. Just three days before the graduation suspension, Ghana secured a $300 million World Bank financing package to help secondary education reforms and phase out the double-track system by 2027.

For families planning celebrations, the practical takeaway is clear: graduation gifts should stay proportional to the moment. A thoughtful present from parents or close relatives can be meaningful without becoming a public competition, and schools now have a fresh warning that ceremony day is not the place for extravagance to take over.