The Ministry of Education has revealed that more than 10,000 students who wrote their Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in previous years but could not enroll for various reasons have been placed in schools this year.
According to the Deputy Education Minister, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, the number represents more than 100 percent increase in what has been recorded in previous years.
[contextly_sidebar id=”RrkW0Siu0cHfNiXZVOJlbwVhIsaJ0jAT”]Addressing the media to provide an update on the ongoing SHS placement process, he said the increase was due to the Free SHS program initiative introduced by the New Patriotic Party government.
“This year, because of the Free SHS, there is an increase in the number of people who applied; over 10,000. In the previous year, it has been about 3,000. And every one of them was included in the computer selection process. No child has been left behind in terms of those who were willing to go back to school,” he said.
Release of funds to schools
Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum said the Ministry was engaging the Heads of the various Senior High Schools, to draw a road-map for the release of funds to cover the cost of education of all the Free SHS beneficiaries.
The Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS), has said they are yet to receive funds to cater for the freshers.
Other stakeholders including the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), have urged the government to make the funds available to the schools before it reopens for the 2017/2018 academic year on 11th September, 2017 to avoid interference in the academic calendar.
But the Minister is optimistic all the needed resources would be made available to the schools on time.
“We’ve given them guidelines as to funds that will come to them and funds that will not come to them and the resources that we’ll send to them,” he said, adding that the government will provide Free SHS resources for first-year students only.
He also reassured parents and prospective Senior High School students that they will be placed in schools they personally choose.
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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana