The Ghana Education Service (GES) has directed heads of Senior High Schools (SHSs) and Senior High Technical Schools (SHTSs) not to deny duly admitted students accommodation because of the type of trunk, chop box or personal storage container they bring to school.
The directive, contained in a letter dated Friday, September 18, 2026, follows reports that some schools were turning away newly admitted students or refusing to accommodate them because they arrived with metal trunks, wooden chop boxes or other storage containers.
According to the GES, such practices could place unnecessary financial pressure on parents and guardians who may be unable to afford alternative containers prescribed by individual schools.
The Service said, “All students admitted to boarding accommodation should be treated fairly and accommodated without discrimination based on their economic circumstances or the ability of their parents or guardians to purchase particular brands or types of personal effects.”
GES has consequently instructed Regional Directors to ensure that school heads stop turning away, refusing admission or denying accommodation to duly admitted students solely because of the type of storage container they bring.
The directive, however, requires such containers to be reasonably sized, safe and not pose any risk to the health, safety or welfare of other students.
The GES further stated, “Any reported case of a duly admitted student being denied accommodation or turned away solely because of the type of trunk, chop box or personal storage container brought to school should be investigated and same reported to Management.”
School heads who fail to comply with the directive will face disciplinary action.
The GES warned that any head of an SHS or SHTS who violates the directive “shall be dealt with in accordance with the applicable standards, regulations and laws of the Service.”
The directive comes as newly admitted students prepare to report to their respective second-cycle institutions, with parents and guardians purchasing items required for boarding.
The GES said the move is intended to ensure that students are treated fairly while preventing families from incurring additional financial costs simply because of the type or brand of storage container their children use.
