The education think tank Africa Education Watch (EduWatch) has noted that the fees charged by private schools in Ghana are a reflection of current market conditions.

This comes amid growing concerns from parents about the rising costs of private education.

Executive Director of EduWatch, Kofi Asare, pointed out that several factors, including inflation, increased operational costs, and the necessity to provide quality educational resources, are major contributors to fee adjustments, as reported by citinewsroom.com on August 12, 2025.

"Private schools are not cheating parents. Their pricing reflects market realities. For instance, a daily meal, such as a rice dish, costs about GH¢15.00. If you are paying GH¢2.00, you won't receive the same meal in a public school," explained Asare.

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He also highlighted that private schools often incur higher expenses related to infrastructure, staffing, and the provision of specialised programs.

Asare emphasised that it is unrealistic to compare private school operations with those of public schools, especially considering the government's per-child allocation.

"Even in rural areas, you cannot find eggs for GH¢2.00, so how can you provide a balanced meal with both carbohydrates and protein for GH¢2.00?" he questioned.

Asare urged schools to provide detailed breakdowns of their fees and to explore ways to manage costs without compromising the quality of education.

"The initial aim was for communities to feed their children with locally sourced food, supplemented by government provisions.

"However, we have shifted from community participation to viewing this as a procurement activity, effectively turning GH¢2.00 into a way to buy food instead," he added.

NAD/SEA

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