The Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) has issued a firm warning to schools, teachers and education officials nationwide: no pupil should be charged any fee to collect a report card at the end of an academic term.
Reports have reached the ministry that some schools are demanding payments from parents and guardians before releasing end-of-term report cards.
MBSSE has declared such practices illegal, unacceptable and against government policy.
Report cards are a basic right of every pupil and their parents or guardians. They must not be withheld over unpaid fees or any unauthorised charges, the ministry stressed.
Parents and guardians are advised that if a school insists on payment before issuing a report card, they should demand an official receipt and report the matter at once.
Any request for money outside approved government guidelines is a serious violation and must be treated as such.
To enforce the directive, the public is urged to report offenders via the toll-free hotline 8060 or directly to senior education officials.
All complaints will be investigated, and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against any school, teacher or official found to be in breach.
The warning comes as schools across Sierra Leone close the academic term and begin issuing report cards, a time when complaints about unauthorised charges often surface.
The directive reaffirms the Government of Sierra Leone’s commitment to the Free Quality School Education Programme, introduced to remove financial barriers that keep children out of school. Officials emphasised that no child should be denied educational services because of unofficial fees.
For complaints or reports, call the toll-free line: 8060.
