FAQ

01. Is NaSIA’s registration and licensing process replacing the GES registration?
02. What is the purpose of the fire certificate as a requirement for registration?
03. Is NaSIA mandated to close down schools?
04. Do I get any compensation when Government absorbs my school into the Public System?
05. What is the turnaround time for processing submitted documents for re-opening?
06. What happens to schools that are unable to get licensed by the end of the year?
07. How long does it take to get a full license?
08. How long does it take to get a license?
09. Does NaSIA have regional Offices across the country?
10. If a school wants to add a JHS department during registration but has up to a primary level, should the school go ahead to register the JHS department?
11. Can NaSIA redefine departmental levels such that KG is added to primary?
12. What should be the nature of relationship between GES and proprietors?
13. Does a license renewal attract a fee?
14. Does NaSIA license public schools too?
15. Are schools supposed to seek permission from NaSIA to organize extracurricular activities like speech and prize days, graduation, etc.
16. Is NaSIA going to supply teaching materials to private school just as GES does for public schools?

01. Is NaSIA’s registration and licensing process replacing the GES registration?

Yes, GES registration process ended in November 2019, NaSIA is mandated by the Education Regulatory Bodies Act 2020, (Act 1023) assented into law on 26^th August 2020 to register and License all Pre-Tertiary Schools in Ghana.

02. What is the purpose of the fire certificate as a requirement for registration?

A fire certificate is awarded to schools that have undergone basic firefighting training by the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS). This provides assurance that a basic firefighting process can be employed in the school in case of a fire outbreak before the fire service comes around.

03. Is NaSIA mandated to close down schools?

Yes, clause 89, subsection 3 of the ERBA 2020 Act 1023 states that NaSIA in consultation with the Minister and on the advice of the Regional Education Directorate concerned can recommend for the closing down temporarily or permanently, a pre-tertiary education institution that fails to meet the standards and guidelines issued by the Authority. The authority can also close down a school in an emergency situation after consultation with the Minster and Regional Education Directorate concerned.

04. Do I get any compensation when Government absorbs my school into the Public System?

Unfortunately, the government takes full ownership once a school is absorbed. The only compensation available to a previous owner is a representation on the school’s board.

05. What is the turnaround time for processing submitted documents for re-opening?

If a school fulfils the basic requirement for reopening schools, the estimated number of days to receive feedback is three (3). An email will be sent to give approval to schools that meet the requirement to operate per the President’s directives.

06. What happens to schools that are unable to get licensed by the end of the year?

Per clause 98 of the ERBA 2020 Act 1023, existing pre-tertiary institutions and newly established pre-tertiary institutions have within six months of coming into force of the Act and six months of its establishment respectively to register with the Authority.

Failure to do so constitutes an offence that is liable to a fine of 5000 penalty units. A unit is 12.00.

The deadline per this clause was 28th February 2021. This has been extended to 31^st December 2021 to give schools enough time to comply and avoid the situation of having to impose sanctions on schools in default.

07. How long does it take to get a full license?

Currently, NaSIA’s focus is on issuing provisional licenses. However, after three successful provisional licenses, a school can acquire a full license after a whole school Inspection is conducted and the school rates at least satisfactory on the four-point rating scale.

08. How long does it take to get a license?

It usually takes two (2) weeks from the date of Inspection to acquire the license. This timeline may vary depending on when a school requests for licensing and makes the necessary payment.

09. Does NaSIA have regional Offices across the country?

NaSIA is in the process of creating regional offices in all regions to facilitate its decentralization process.

10. If a school wants to add a JHS department during registration but has up to a primary level, should the school go ahead to register the JHS department?

Schools must register to the level they are currently running and update their information when renewal is due.

11. Can NaSIA redefine departmental levels such that KG is added to primary?

Levels cannot be redefined, however, fees charged per department may changed depending on the number of enrolments.

12. What should be the nature of relationship between GES and proprietors?

Proprietors should continue to collaborate with GES since it’s a sister Agency to NaSIA. However, GES cannot register or inspect private schools.

13. Does a license renewal attract a fee?

Yes, school license has to be renewed annually at a fee. The fee for licensing is the same as the initial amount paid for licensing.

14. Does NaSIA license public schools too?

Yes. NaSIA’s licenses both public and private pre-tertiary schools. NaSIA’s focus is to ensure the highest quality of education in all schools both public and private.

15. Are schools supposed to seek permission from NaSIA to organize extracurricular activities like speech and prize days, graduation, etc.

No. Schools should seek for permission from NaSIA only when learners are travelling.

16. Is NaSIA going to supply teaching materials to private school just as GES does for public schools?

Unfortunately, NaSIA’s mandate does not include providing teaching materials to schools.

17. What happens when an existing school mistakenly chooses New School when filling the online forms?
18. Can SISOs inspect private schools.?
19. How does GES monitor the curriculum being taught in schools?
20. What are the mechanisms in place for registration of schools in the rural areas with internet connectivity challenges? How can such schools register online?
21. Who monitors mock examination of private schools?
22. District Directors of Education used to answer for poor performance of schools. Whose duty is it now?
23. Is the licensing/ registration fee the same for all private schools?
24. Does NaSIA license Nurseries?
25. Where can individuals report schools with dilapidated buildings.
26. How will information obtained at the stakeholder engagement get to schools not present?
27. Can schools that cannot register online due to internet connectivity challenges wait on the regional offices?
28. Will teachers and learners be absorbed by the government if a school is absorbed?
29. Can a proprietor take back ownership of his/her school after it has been absorbed by the government?
30. Are inspected schools given the opportunity to rectify anomalies found during inspections?
31. What happens to schools without the RGD’s Certificate?
32. Can a house be used to start a school?
33. Are schools supposed to adjust facilities to make room for learners with special needs?
34. What is the relationship between NaSIA, NTC and NACCA?
35. What relationship should private schools have with GES?
36. Was the Education Regulatory Bodies (ERBA) 2020 Act 1023 passed only for Private schools?
37. How often should a school renew its license.?
38. Where does a proprietor of a pre-school (Creche and Nursery) begin the licensing process once he or she decides to establish KG and basic school?
39. Does the 31st December deadline for licensing of schools apply to both Private and Public Schools?
40. How do we ensure that we are engaging with NaSIA staff when Inspectors show up at our school? / What measures are in place to tackle impersonation of NaSIA’s Inspectors?
41. How does NaSIA communicate with schools before a visit for Inspection?
42. Who bears the cost of inspections?
43. Can the licensing fee be reduced to accommodate schools that are unable to afford the cost of licensing?
44. What is the purpose of the one-page summary report given to the school after inspection?
45. What benefits do private schools get from NaSIA?
46. What is the penalty for not meeting NaSIA’s licensing deadline?
47. Does NaSIA regulate fees charged by Private Schools?
48. How many documents are mandatory in the registration process.?
49. How does a school get absorbed by the Government?
50. Does NaSIA has standards for teachers and headteachers?
51. Can I proceed to register and have my school licensed if my RGD certificate is not ready?
52. How long after registration should license be renewed?
53. Does paying the registration fee mean you are fully licensed?
54. At what point does a school qualify for Full Licensing.
55. How do we ensure that private schools have licensed teachers?
56. Can a proprietor proceed to register his or her school If he/she is yet to receive the RGD certificate?
57. GES does organize periodic trainings for their teachers. Is NaSIA planning on organizing trainings for us?
58. How can private schools gain support from the government?
59. Will NaSIA be providing teaching materials to private schools?
60. How does a school receive receipts for payments made.?

17. What happens when an existing school mistakenly chooses New School when filling the online forms?

NaSIA shall rectify the mistake when it comes to our attention and communicate to the said school.

18. Can SISOs inspect private schools.?

The Education Regulatory Bodies Act 2020, 1023 mandates NaSIA as the Authority responsible for inspecting all schools in Ghana. SISOs (GES) are no longer in charge of inspecting schools.

19. How does GES monitor the curriculum being taught in schools?

NaCCA oversees curriculum content.

20. What are the mechanisms in place for registration of schools in the rural areas with internet connectivity challenges? How can such schools register online?

NaSIA has in place a USSD code *790*7# to aid schools without access to the internet to commence the registration process. The Regional Offices once in operation will also help facilitate the registration process.

21. Who monitors mock examination of private schools?

School proprietors can collaborate with GES in these instances.

22. District Directors of Education used to answer for poor performance of schools. Whose duty is it now?

District Directors of Education will answer for public schools in their district.

23. Is the licensing/ registration fee the same for all private schools?

Currently, the fee structure for private schools is the same. NaSIA is putting in place an electronic system where proprietors can key in their indicators (ie. Location, the levels of education they operate, school enrollment etc.) and their bill will be generated for them.

24. Does NaSIA license Nurseries?

NaSIA handles licensing of KG through to SHS. Nurseries are the responsibility of Social Welfare.

25. Where can individuals report schools with dilapidated buildings.

Both private and public schools with dilapidated buildings should be reported to NaSIA.

26. How will information obtained at the stakeholder engagement get to schools not present?

NaSIA will collaborate with associations to disseminate the message to the grassroot.

27. Can schools that cannot register online due to internet connectivity challenges wait on the regional offices?

School Proprietors without access to reliable internet can dial *790*7# and follow the prompt to start the school licensing process and send us an email with the necessary documents.

28. Will teachers and learners be absorbed by the government if a school is absorbed?

Learners will be absorbed by the government. Teachers will however have to write a letter of consent before being absorbed. It is important to note that, teachers are subject to National Teaching (NTC) Council regulations and the right processes will have to be followed,

29. Can a proprietor take back ownership of his/her school after it has been absorbed by the government?

After absorption, proprietors cannot take ownership of their schools again.

30. Are inspected schools given the opportunity to rectify anomalies found during inspections?

After inspections, NaSIA sends reports with findings and recommendations to inspected schools. The schools are then given time to work on implementing recommendations.

31. What happens to schools without the RGD’s Certificate?

Schools without the Registrar Generals Department (RGD) Certificate can request for a Letter of Introduction from NaSIA at a fee of GHc 50.00.

32. Can a house be used to start a school?

NaSIA will not allow schools to operate in inappropriate structures.

33. Are schools supposed to adjust facilities to make room for learners with special needs?

New schools are required to make provisions for children with special needs.

34. What is the relationship between NaSIA, NTC and NACCA?

These are all agencies under the Ministry of Education (MOE). NaSIA works collaboratively with all these sister agencies to attain the highest quality of education for all learners. Whiles NaSIA regulates Pre-Tertiary Schools, NaCCA regulates the curriculum run by Pre-Tertiary schools and the NTC licenses and register all teachers.

35. What relationship should private schools have with GES?

Although private schools are no longer under GES, NaSIA collaborates with the District Directorate of Education at the district level on the shared interest of providing quality education to all learners. In the same vein, private schools are encouraged to collaborate with the GES.

36. Was the Education Regulatory Bodies (ERBA) 2020 Act 1023 passed only for Private schools?

The ERBA 2020 Act 1023 law was passed for all Public and Private Pre-Tertiary Schools in Ghana. By this law, NaSIA is to register and license both Public and Private Pre-Tertiary Schools in Ghana.

37. How often should a school renew its license.?

The license should be renewed yearly at a fee.

38. Where does a proprietor of a pre-school (Creche and Nursery) begin the licensing process once he or she decides to establish KG and basic school?

Schools that fall into this category will be required to start the School Establishment process as a new school.

39. Does the 31st December deadline for licensing of schools apply to both Private and Public Schools?

Yes, the 31^st December deadline for licensing is for all schools both Private and Public.

40. How do we ensure that we are engaging with NaSIA staff when Inspectors show up at our school? / What measures are in place to tackle impersonation of NaSIA’s Inspectors?

NaSIA’s Inspectors arrive for inspection in NaSIA branded vehicles, T-shirts, and tags with their names on them. Inspectors are required to exhibit the highest form of professionalism in their conduct.

41. How does NaSIA communicate with schools before a visit for Inspection?

The Authority usually calls or emails a school before our Inspectors visit. That said, NaSIA can visit a school any day and time to conduct an unannounced Inspection as mandated by law.

42. Who bears the cost of inspections?

The Government of Ghana bears the cost of school inspections.

43. Can the licensing fee be reduced to accommodate schools that are unable to afford the cost of licensing?

The Authority is reviewing its costing system and the new cost will be published on the website once it is finalized.

As part of the review, NaSIA is putting in place an electronic system where proprietors can key in their indicators (ie. location, the levels of education they operate, school enrollment etc.), and their bill will be generated for them.

44. What is the purpose of the one-page summary report given to the school after inspection?

The one-page summary report gives a brief summary of all that transpired during the period of Inspection. This summary report is followed by detailed reports sent to the school via email with recommendations in areas that need improvement.

45. What benefits do private schools get from NaSIA?

Per the constitution, the government cannot be seen to be investing in Private business.

What NaSIA does is to provide a seat at the table for private schools during policy-making and deliberations. For instance, NaSIA is in negotiations on behalf of private schools with regard to textbooks.

46. What is the penalty for not meeting NaSIA’s licensing deadline?

Per the law, failure to license your school before the December 31^st 2021 deadline attracts a penalty unit of 5000 of which each unit costs 12.00. While this is an option available to the Authority, the primary focus of the Authority has been to engage stakeholders and provide them with all the requisite knowledge so that they are not in default of the law.

47. Does NaSIA regulate fees charged by Private Schools?

The Education Act 778, 2008 mandates the Minister of Education to approve all school fees. This mandate, however, is currently not been executed. It will most likely be implemented in the future.

48. How many documents are mandatory in the registration process.?

Six documents are currently mandatory (Governance structure with Vision & Mission Statement, Registrar General’s Certificate, Fire Safety Certificate, Scanned copy of Tax Identification Number & National Identity Card of Proprietor & Head Teacher/Principal(s) (Passport, Ghana Card, Drivers Licence, Voters ID, Staff record & evidence of social security and national insurance trust registration and School development & Staff development Plan)

The rest of the documents can be uploaded later after the submission of the online documents.

Templates of documents needed in the registration process are available on the website to aid schools in populating the needed information.

49. How does a school get absorbed by the Government?

A school in distress can write to the Authority requesting for government to absorb the school. Schools not licensed but want to be absorbed by the government are taken through the licensing process before they can be absorbed.

50. Does NaSIA has standards for teachers and headteachers?

The National Teaching Council (NTC) is the agency under the Ministry of Education mandated to improve the professional standing and status of teachers and to register and license teachers in Ghana.

51. Can I proceed to register and have my school licensed if my RGD certificate is not ready?

Given the difficulty in securing the RGD certificate, the Authority has made room for proprietors to proceed with their registration and upload the RGD certificate once they receive it.

The Authority also provides an introductory letter to be sent to the RGD upon request at a fee.

52. How long after registration should license be renewed?

Renewal of license should be done annually. Proprietors are to renew the license three months before it expires.

Failure to renew your license means you are operating illegally and could be held culpable.

53. Does paying the registration fee mean you are fully licensed?

Paying the licensing fee doesn’t guarantee that you are licensed. You need to submit the necessary documents and have your school evaluated by our inspectors. If your school is in good standing, you will be given the provisional license to operate.

54. At what point does a school qualify for Full Licensing.

After three (3) successful Provisional Licenses, a school can qualify for a full license after NaSIA conducts a Whole School Inspection and the school score at least satisfactory on the four-point rating scale.

55. How do we ensure that private schools have licensed teachers?

NTC oversees the licensing and registration of teachers.

There have been talks of the Government giving the about 30% of trained teachers not absorbed by the public schools to struggling private schools. While this may be a laudable idea, it has to be channeled through the appropriate means so that it can be forwarded to the government for consideration.

56. Can a proprietor proceed to register his or her school If he/she is yet to receive the RGD certificate?

NaSIA has been informed of the challenges some proprietors go through in securing the registrar Generals Department Certificate.

As a result, proprietors can proceed with their licensing and submit the certificate as and when they receive it.

57. GES does organize periodic trainings for their teachers. Is NaSIA planning on organizing trainings for us?

Training of teachers falls under the mandate of the National Teaching Council (NTC).

58. How can private schools gain support from the government?

Although per the law the government cannot be seen to be investing in Private business.

Associations such as GNAPS and GNACOPS can forge stronger collaborations so that collectively they can through NaSIA channel their grievances to the Government.

59. Will NaSIA be providing teaching materials to private schools?

NaSIA is not mandated to provide teaching materials to schools.

60. How does a school receive receipts for payments made.?

All receipts are scanned and sent to the respective proprietors. Proprietors are encouraged to provide correct email addresses to enable them receive their scanned receipts.