GES Introduces Harmonised ‘National Prospectus’ for SHS First-Year Students

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has launched the ‘National Prospectus,’ a unified guide for senior high and technical schools across Ghana. This innovative prospectus aims to streamline the requirements for prospective first-year students, eliminating ambiguity and simplifying the shopping process for parents.

Under the new system, schools are mandated to strictly adhere to the national prospectus, preventing the imposition of additional items beyond the officially prescribed list. Notably, parents will no longer need to wait for the rollout of the Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) to commence shopping for their children.

The ‘National Prospectus’ is thoughtfully categorized into two main sections: basic needs and cleaning materials, providing clarity for parents. Category ‘A’ encompasses essential items like hard body suitcases, chop boxes or hard plastic containers, toiletries, beddings, school-specific footwear, undergarments, cutlery, and educational materials such as mathematical sets and scientific calculators.

The second category covers detergents, sanitary and cleaning materials, including liquid soap, hand gloves, washing powder, bleach, brooms, standing mops, mop buckets, and scrubbing brushes.

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Graphic, Dr. Eric Nkansah, the Director-General of GES, emphasized that the introduction of the harmonized prospectus enables parents to proactively purchase items well before the CSSPS rollout. He expressed joy at the prospect of parents being able to prepare in advance, thereby eliminating delays in the enrollment process.

Dr. Nkansah underscored the prospectus’s necessity in removing unnecessary items and barriers to student enrollment, urging schools to be considerate during admissions. He reassured parents that the cost of items outlined in the prospectus is reasonable and within reach for all, putting an end to the era where prospectuses incurred exorbitant costs.

The Director-General revealed that a committee comprising representatives from GES, Free SHS Secretariat, TVET Service, and the Conference of Heads of Government Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) collaborated to create the national prospectus. Acknowledging CHASS’s crucial role in second cycle schools, he emphasized the importance of their input.

As a final piece of advice, Dr. Nkansah urged students to personalize their belongings by embossing or embroidering their names, reducing the risk of theft. The introduction of the ‘National Prospectus’ marks a significant step towards transparency, accessibility, and a more efficient school enrollment process for both parents and students in Ghana.