Private JHS to get share in 30% ‘Category A’ SHS placement – MoE

The Ministry of Education has reviewed the 30% placement policy into ‘Category A’ Senior High Schools to include private Junior High School students who sat for the 2023 edition of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

The review comes after the Minister for Education, Dr Yaw Adutwum on November 13, 2023, had a crunch meeting with the leadership of the Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS) on the school placement policy.

The new placement policy follows research conducted by the Education Ministry to review the 30% Senior High School placement policy which merits public Junior High School students to be placed into ‘Category A’ second-cycle schools.

The Private Schools Council Director, Mr Enoch Gyetuah in an interview monitored by Thisterm.com said the 30% allotment of placement into ‘Category A’ schools for public Junior High School students approach is a laze fair policy.

“The Minister for Education met us last Monday and he said after research into the computer school placement of BECE graduates, he will see how best the review of the 30% quota policy will be done,” the GNACOPS Director said.

Citing discrimination against private BECE graduates, the Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS) Executive Director called for a total scrap of the 30% Category A school placement policy rather than the review.

“We don’t agree to the review of the policy, it is not about a review is about a total scrap of the 30% quota school placement policy because it is undermining quality education in the country,” Obengfo Kwasi Gyetuah stressed.

But a deputy spokesperson for the Education Ministry explaining the policy said the 30% quota is allotted to public students because the learning facilities in public schools are not adequate, as compared to those in private schools.

“We (Ministry of Education) have what we call 30% equity quota that we give to those who attended public schools because if you look at the infrastructure and logistics in the government Junior High Schools (JHS) in the country

we try to also create that enabling environment so that they can also have the opportunity to taste what is happening at Presbyterian Boys Secondary School, Achimota Senior High School and other Category A schools,” Mr Enerst said.

Asked whether students are placed based on their school selection or grade, he said the computer school placement purely based on merit also depends on the aggregate, raw score and available vacancies in various second cycle schools.

“We look at the aggregate, raw score, and available vacancies, adding that some students choose Category B schools out of fear that they may not get into any Category A Senior High/Technical Schools,” the MoE spokesman noted.

In a related development, the Ghana Education Service has said a strategy that would fast-track the computer school placement had been put in place to ensure the 2023 BECE graduates report to their various placed second cycle schools on December 4, 2023

Eric Nkansah, the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service in an interview with the Daily Graphic said the December 4, 2023 reporting date for the first-year students is plausible amid the the computer school placement strategy.