GES begins ‘late’ SHS/TVET placement of unplaced BECE graduates

2023 BECE graduates with an aggregate qualified for school placement but have not been placed in Second-cyle school are to visit the education office in their region to be processed for Senior High School (SHS) admission.

In an interview with Daily Graphic, the Greater Accra Regional Director of Education, Stephen Abamfo said the move forms part of the Ministry of Education’s effort to get more BECE graduates enrolled in the public Second-cycle schools.

He indicated that the Education Minister had charged the Director-General of Ghana Education Service to get in touch with the regional and district directors of education, as well as circuit supervisors, to embark on an enrolment drive.

“There are some students who passed the BECE but were not able to get placement; they are all invited. They should all come so that we find them schools to attend. We don’t want to leave any student unattended.  Every student must get into school,” Mr Stephen said.

For smooth admission processing, the GES official said qualified but unplaced 2023 Basic Education Certificate Examination graduates should produce the results of their national examination (BECE) for action to be taken on them.

“We have some girls who were pregnant and have given birth and are at home (drop-outs). We have opened our gates; they should let us know so that we bring them on board, for them to also get access to school,” Abamfo told Graphic.

A total of 600,900 candidates comprising 300,404 males and 300,496 females from 18,993 participating schools entered the 33rd Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) administered from August 7 to August 11, 2023.

The BECE for Private Candidates recorded a total entry figure of 1,839 candidates representing 942 males and 897 females. Fifteen centres, mostly in the regional capitals, were used for the conduct of the examination.

The Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) Secretariat releasing the school placement said 585,797 candidates qualified to be placed out of the 598,839 results received from the West African Examination Council (WAEC).

About 477,772 or 81.56 per cent were automatically placed in one of the students’ choice Senior High Schools. However, 108,025, representing 18.44 per cent, qualified candidates could not be matched with any of their choices.