Students who will write this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) must now choose 7 schools before they take the exams.
This new rule comes from the Free SHS Secretariat. They say it will help reduce stress for both students and parents during the school placement process.
The National Free SHS Coordinator, Benetta Okiti Duah, announced this at a press conference in Accra on May 27.
What Has Changed?
In the past, students chose their schools after writing the BECE. But this caused problems. Some parents said teachers chose schools for students without asking them. Also, many students were not placed in the schools they preferred.
Now, the Ghana Education Service (GES) has changed the system. Students must now choose seven schools before the exams. This should make the process smoother and avoid confusion.
How to Choose the Schools
Madam Okiti Duah explained how students should make their choices:
• Choose 5 main schools and 2 backup schools.
• Rank the 5 main schools from most preferred to least.
• The 2 backup schools should come from a list called Appendix Three.
• Choose the program and whether you want boarding or day school.
• You can pick:
• 3 boarding schools
• 2 day schools
• You may choose:
• One Category B school as boarding and another as day
• One Category C school as boarding and another as day
• All five schools can be from Category C if you want
Important Rules
• Once you make your choices, you cannot change them.
• You can only choose one Category A school.
• You cannot choose two Category B schools.
• You can choose all five schools from Category C if you want.
Private Schools to Join Placement System
The Ministry of Education is also working to allow private senior high schools to join the school placement system. This is part of efforts to end the double track system.
Deputy Minister of Education, Dr. Clement Apaak, said they are almost done with talks. He believes private schools will help make the Free SHS programme better and more efficient.
“We’ve had meetings and are sure private schools will do a good job,” he said.
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