SHS placement: 90% challenges addressed

The Resolution Centre set up by the Ministry of Education to address challenges of Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates with issues regarding their senior high school (SHS) placement has so far resolved about 90 per cent of complaints.

The Deputy Coordinator of the Free SHS Secretariat, Nana Afrah Sika Mensah, told the Daily Graphic that the issues resolved included placing candidates who were earlier not placed and changing schools.

She said this yesterday (Monday) during an interaction with the Daily Graphic at the National Resolution Centre set up at the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) Hall in Accra.
 

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Parents and their children began visiting the SHS placement National Resolution Centre last week to seek immediate help in connection with this year’s SHS placement exercise.

Their concerns included self-placement, change of school, change of status from day to boarding and vice-versa, and change of programme.

At the crowded centre, officers from the Free SHS Secretariat were present to attend to parents and guardians and address their issues amicably.

There was also a police presence to ensure peace and order.

As part of their daily schedule, personnel from the Free SHS Secretariat assist parents and their children on what to do to get their issues resolved.

Nana Mensah said the placement exercise at the resolution centre had so far been smooth and commended parents and candidates for their cooperation in getting their problems addressed.

“So, I think, so far so good. The exercise has been good. The total number of issues that were brought we have solved about 90 per cent of them,” she emphasised, adding that apart from the team at the centre, there were other staff members at the secretariat working to address whatever issues that were brought to their attention.

Over the weekend, for instance, she said most of the problems brought to their attention were resolved and that “We make sure that all issues brought here will be addressed accordingly.”

Nana also mentioned gender issues, non-placement and residential status among others as some of the issues that had been worked on.

She asked parents and candidates to be patient and rest assured that no candidate would be left out and that everybody would be placed.

Background

Under the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS), 447,698 qualified BECE candidates were automatically placed into SHSs and technical institutes (TIs) of their choice.

The figure forms 80.93 per cent of the overall number that sat the examination this year.

A statement from the Ministry of Education said 104,918 qualified candidates could not be matched to any of their choices, with 73,390 of those who could not be matched with any of their choices representing 13.28 per cent of qualified candidates placed in schools similar to those they selected.

It said out of the 563,339 results received from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), 553,155 candidates qualified to be placed into relevant schools this year.