School Placement: Parents, students throng GNAT Hall for assistance 

By Priscilla Oye Ofori, Christiana Nyarko, GNA 

Accra, Feb. 16, GNA— Scores of parents and their wards Thursday thronged the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) Hall in Accra for school placement. 

A total of 538,399 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates qualified for this year’s Computerised School Selection Placement (CSSPS) into Senior High, Technical and Vocational Schools. 

Out of the number, 372,780 have been automatically placed in one of their school choices, whiles, 165,601 candidates could not be matched with any of their school choices hence, they have to do self-placement to select from available schools. 

Nana Afrah Sika Mensah, Deputy Coordinator, Free Senior High School (SHS), told the Ghana News Agency that centres had been set up in all the 16 regional offices of the Ghana Education Service in the country, to assist with self-placement, replacement, change of programmes, among other issues. 

She noted that some parents were unable to go through the self-placement process for their wards, hence, their presence at the Hall to be assisted. 

‘‘We give them the opportunity to choose six schools, out of that, we give them one of the choices they made…We cannot please them but at least at the end of the day, we balance the two and make sure that we do something to satisfy them,’’ she stated. 

Mr Issaka Baba Zamari, a Teacher, said his students could not go through with the self-placement at home because most of the schools listed were far in the northern part of the country and they resided in Accra. 

Another parent who pleaded anonymity said he wanted a Boarding School for his daughter who had good grades but had been placed in a Day School.  

Miss Keziah Asamoah, a student, expressed disappointment when she was not placed in her choice of school, but hopeful to get a better school in the next placement. 

Madam Akua Doris, a parent whose daughter had aggregate 30 and was not placed, commended the officials of the school placement exercise for their patience and support. 

She said she paid nothing and had nice reception from the officials. 

The parents and students interviewed by the GNA said they were asked to check the CSSPS website coming Saturday or Sunday for placement. 

GNA