Why parents gifting dia children wey finish school cars, iPhones, money and odas on campus dey banned for Ghana

Ghana education authorities ban di trend wia parents dey dash dia children cars, phones, money bouquets and oda tins for campus wen dem finish senior high school.

For di past weeks, ontop social media, videos bin go viral wen some parents visit dia children for some campuses wey dem dash dem cars in di presence of dia friends and oda students.

One mother visit her son wey she dash am fresh Honda CR-V car wit money bouquet wey dem pop champagne as oda students dey stand by dey watch.

Dem dey celebrate wit music as some students dey film wetin dey happun for di campus.

Anoda mother dash her son Toyota corolla, wey one oda parent gift dia daughter Hyundai Elantra.

Di ones wey no dash cars - bin gift dia children iPhones, money bouquets of up to GH 30,000 ($2,700) among oda gifts.

Inside some of di videos, di students invite dia friends to di place for di school campus wia di surprise and celebration dey happun.

Some of di students for di video dey pick di cash wey dem spray on top dia colleagues, wey dem dey hype dem.

BBC News Pidgin bin see at least eight videos for TikTok wia parents gada for di various school campus wia dem dey do di handover ceremony.

In fact, some of di parents even carry bloggers follow dem to di school campus to surprise dia children, wey dem post ontop social media.

One education group, Institute for Education Studies (Ifest) tok say dis trend no be good for students at dat level.

Oga for Ifest Dr Peter Partey-Anti say, "Education authorities gatz stop dis presentation of gifts especially for school campus afta di students finish dia West Africa Senior School Certificate Exams (WASSCE)."

According to Dr Partey-Anti, "dis trend fit become somtin else if dem no stop am now".

For many pipo, dis fit cause jealousy and emotional breakdown for oda students wey dia parents no get money to present dem wit gifts in front of dia friends for campus.

Some parents vex about dis trend

One mother Fati Shaibu-Ali tok BBC News Pidgin say authorities for no allow dis trend to continue.

"We for neva encourage dis tin, ibi unnecessary say you go do dis on top exams wey results sef no comot."

Fati Shaibu-Ali explain say, "You fit celebrate children for completing school, say dem no drop out, say dem no chop sack, say dem no impregnate any girl or even say di girlchild no dey pregnant, but you gatz do dis kain tin for house."

"Na crass behaviour be dat, e don dey show how socially unaware dis parents and guardians dey. E dey show say dis pipo dey find outside validation," Fati Shaibu-Ali add.

One retired teacher and instructor Antoinette Sampah also tok BBC News Pidgin say dis trend be premature and misplaced priority at dis stage for di life of di children.

"Dem dey expose dis children to life wey neva be real, wetin be di motive behind dis gift presentation for di school campus, na show-off? Dis parents tink about di impact of dis tin on di oda students?"

Madam Antoinette Sampah no mince words wen she tok say, "Some of dis parents dey do dis tins to make up for dia failure at proper parenting, dis children go grow up to dey feel say wetin dem achieve na for society pressure and no be for impact."

Anoda parent and former educator also add her voice wen she condemn di trend as "totally wrong".

"Wetin we dey teach di rest of di children for di school and dose we dey receive dis gifts at 16,17 years? Wit dis trend, we dey show di oda students say dia parents be poor."

She explain say dis tins fit encourage oda young pipo to enta criminal activities like stealing, fraud and odas to also buy dis gifts for demsefs or even dia younger siblings wen dem also complete high school.

Akosua Ampofo wey be public servant say "any parent wey wan dash dia child gift afta school, gatz do am for house."

"Evri year, dis gifts di parents dey dash to dia children for campus be more expensive pass di one dem present bifor, di tin come become like competition, wey no good for di child and im mates for campus."

"To carry car, phones, money bouquets, PlayStation and all dis gifts to campus of 15,16,17-year-old children to do show-off, who you dey want impress?" Akosua Ampofo ask.

Some parents too say dem no dey see anytin wrong wit di trend.

Angelo Addison say "na me get my money wey I want gift my pikin, how dis one be crime?"

"What if di parent bin promise di pikin say if you complete high school I go buy you car or if you pass di exam, I go carry you go vacation abroad, how dis one be bad tin?"

Addison also ask "what if di oda students see dis gifts wey dem dey inspired to work hard for demsefs to also achieve dis tins, you consider dat side too?"

Im say even though im no go buy car for im pikin, im also no dey see anytin wrong if oda parents bin buy am, as e add say na dia money.

Education authorities ban dis gifting of cars, money and oda tins for campus

Inside one statement, di ministry of education express worry about di "increasing trend of excessive display of wealth for celebrations for some high schools for Ghana afta dia WASSCE".

Di ministry say school na place for learning, character development, discipline, and social cohesion no be to show-off and brag about luxury and lavish lifestyles.

School authorities gatz ensure say anytin wey dey promote show-off and discrimination among students dey banned.

Di education ministry "condemn any conduct by students, parents and guardians wey dey promote extravagance wey deviate from di purpose for dis school ceremonies."

Headmasters wey dem find say parents dey do gift presentation like dis to dia students for campus, go face sacking.

"Di education ministry order di Ghana education service (GES) to suspend all high school post-WASSCE events across di kontri immediately."

According to di Ghana Education Service, "dis kind public show of wealth and lavish lifestyle and gift presentation dey cause psychological distress among students wey dia parents no fit compete for such celebrations".

Di education service also tok say dis trend fit shift di focus from academic achievement to financial privilege, wey neva good for di emotional and mental well-being of di oda students.

Some parents say dis decision by di education service na welcome decision.

"Veri good move by di authorities. For me, e neva even be about how di show-off go make oda children feel sef, or say e go put pressure for dia top, sake of for oda places, pipo dey buy cars and tins for dia children at 16 years but dem neva dey carry go dia school to present dem wit plenti drama," Fati Shaibu-Ali tok BBC News Pidgin.

Madam Antoinette Sampah also welcome di decision to ban dis trend now.

"As pesin wey be retired educator, I no dey gree wit dis trend, we gatz comot am from our society for di future of our children, we no dey need more rot for di system wey already don rot."

Ontop social media, opinions dey divided - while some pipo no dey see anytin wrong wit di trend, odas say na wrong tin to encourage for school campuses wit children below 18 years.