The Ghana National Association of Private Schools is demanding the removal of the 30% priority Senior High School (SHS) placement policy in the Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS).
The Association deemed the policy as an unfair system which has disadvantaged students enrolled in private schools.
GNAPS, in a statement, further said the allocation lacks the ingredients of transparency and equity in a
democratic school policy implementation.
According to them, the policy is not addressing any challenge but rather worsening the problems created by the CSSPS.
“Having keenly monitored this year’s Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) and its attendant challenges, the Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS) reiterates its stands that the 30% priority placement policy must be scrapped immediately,” a portion of the statement read.
They cited the example of a pupil who obtained good grades in the BECE but could not make a grade A school because of the 30% priority allocation of Category ‘A’ SHS schools to public schools.
“Beatrice (not her real name) exemplifies the plight of hundreds of children who complete privately-owned junior high schools in Ghana… She emerged from the BECE with excellent grades, 9 straight Grade 1’s. After so much toil and sweat and in spite of her excellent grades, the CSSPS did not place Beatrice in her first choice school, Wesley
Girls Senior High School.
“Meanwhile, her neighbour and friend who got aggregate 19, was placed in a Grade A senior high school of her choice. Where is the fairness? This is by no means an isolated instance. GNAPS has closely monitored results of this year’s CSSPS across the country and observed the cry of hundreds of private school candidates who had enviable BECE grades but were shortchanged in the school placement process,” the statement added.
Noting that the trophy for good BECE performance must be an admission into a senior high school of one’s choice, GNAPS therefore called for the abolishing of the policy.