Ministry launches new SHS selection guidelines

The Ministry of Education has launched revised guidelines for the school selection process for candidates of the 2025 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). 

The move aims to streamline the placement of students into second cycle institutions and ensure broader opportunities for all candidates across the country.

The guidelines, which apply to all prospective senior high school (SHS) and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) students, mark the commencement of the nationwide sensitisation exercise from Tuesday, May 27, to Friday, June 6, 2025.

According to the updated school selection framework, candidates who wish to enter SHS/TVET schools are expected to select a total of seven schools, made up of five main choices and two alternatives.

These choices should be made with guidance from parents, guardians and school authorities.

The five main schools should be ranked in order of preference, from the most preferred to the least preferred.

The two alternative schools must be selected from Appendix Three for consideration, in the event that candidates are not placed in any of their top five choices.

For residential preferences, candidates must select three boarding and two day options.

Students may choose one Category B school for boarding and another for day.

The same applies to Category C schools.

However, no candidate is allowed to choose more than one school from Category A and no more than two from Category B.

All five schools may be selected from Category C.

Candidates wishing to offer programme choices related to future job prospects, such as engineers and physicians, among others, must select STEM programmes for all five options from Categories A, B, and C, either day or boarding.

Parents

Speaking at a press launch at the ministry yesterday, the Deputy Minister of Education, Dr Clement Apaak, stressed the importance of parental involvement in the selection process.

“Parents are entreated to take a keen interest in this school selection exercise, as this will determine the high school their wards will attend after completing basic education,” he said.

He cautioned that no head teacher or teacher was permitted to fill out the school selection form on behalf of a candidate without the explicit consent of a parent or guardian.

Dr Apaak explained that each form must be signed by the parent or guardian and submitted to the candidate’s school.

He further highlighted the need to explore opportunities in Category C schools, which, despite being less subscribed, continued to produce excellent results and made innovative contributions to society.

The deputy minister also revealed that the ministry was actively working on integrating private senior high schools into the Free SHS programme as part of efforts to end the double-track system.

Teachers

The Free SHS Secretariat Coordinator, Benita Sena Okity-Duah, emphasised the pivotal role of teachers in guiding the process while cautioning against taking over parental responsibilities.

“Often, the selection is left until after exams, and because the students are not available, teachers end up doing the selection for them. This results in confusion during placements,” she explained.

Mrs Okity-Duah called on teachers to support sensitisation efforts but urged them always to involve parents and guardians in the actual decision-making.

She also reminded all stakeholders that each candidate’s school selection form must be signed by a parent or guardian, and a copy retained for future reference.

The coordinator also reiterated the need for parents to consider their children’s academic strengths and potential when selecting schools, advising them to “help children move on to the right path by choosing the right schools for them.”

Mrs Okity-Duah emphasised that once a student was placed in any of his or her selected schools, no changes would be permitted.