The Ghana Education Service (GES) has directed all senior high schools to immediately comply with an existing provision in its Code of Conduct that prohibits students from performing household chores at the bungalows of teachers and headteachers.
The Service says the practice, which is already prohibited under the Code of Conduct, must stop with immediate effect.
GES Director-General, Professor Ernest Kofi Davis, gave the directive in an interview with JoyNews’ Naa Dedei Tettey on Thursday, October 22, 2026.
Professor Davis explained that the Code of Conduct, under Section 3.7 V, explicitly states that students are not expected to be asked to engage in household chores.
“We are going to write to schools to make sure that it doesn’t happen because in our code of conduct, section 3.7 V, it is written that the students are not expected to be asked to engage in household chores,” he said.
“We are going to write today. By the end of the week, we expect it to get to our schools.”
He said he expected the directive to reach all regional directors by Friday, October 23, 2026.
“I expect the news to get to all regional directors to remind our staff to apprise themselves with the code of conduct and cease inviting students to schools to do household chores because the code of conduct does not permit that,” he stated.
When asked why the practice had been happening despite the Code of Conduct, Professor Davis said: “So, that’s why we are saying they should apprise themselves of that. It’s not acceptable. So, we’ll remind them.”
The directive follows growing concerns about the welfare of students in senior high schools, particularly in the wake of the Obuasi SHTS sexual abuse allegations.
The practice of students performing household chores at teachers’ bungalows has long been a subject of debate in Ghana, with critics arguing that it exposes students to exploitation and abuse.
The GES Code of Conduct explicitly prohibits the practice, but enforcement has been inconsistent.
The GES is expected to communicate the directive to all regional directors by Friday, October 23, 2026. Regional directors will then be responsible for ensuring that schools under their jurisdiction comply with the existing Code of Conduct.
The Service has emphasised that the practice is not acceptable and that staff must familiarize themselves with the Code of Conduct.
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