The Deputy Minister of State in charge of pre-Tertiary Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, while addressing the press on Monday, explained that, the directive will ensure a speedy placement of the affected candidates.

The Ghana Education Service (GES), last week Friday announced the posting of over 400,000 BECE candidates to various Senior High Schools in the country through the Computerized School Selection Placement System.

It said over 36,000 were not placed because they failed in either English or Mathematics.

The GES subsequently asked qualified students who were not placed to “go online and select an option available within 48 hours…”

However, GES has been lambasted over the 48 hour ultimatum with some groups including the Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition (GNECC) describing it as “unreasonable.”

But Dr. Adutwum insisted that the 48-hour ultimatum was in the interest of the candidates.

“We understand that there was a communiqué from us about making sure that within 48 hours parents are able to check and enroll their students, sign up and print their admission letters. This was in no way to rush them. It was an opportunity for us to make sure that this year, for the first time in many years our schools will open early enough so that we are able to really get students to use the three years as possible in their studies.”

He said in time past, because second cycle schools re-open a bit late, first year students spend only few weeks in school before they go for vacation “as a result, some students go to school in January which means one term is usually wasted.”

“…And at the end of the three years, WAEC also conducts their exams beginning in February. So in essence what was meant for three years becomes two years. That is what we are trying to avoid so parents should not panic. What we are saying is that, we will give you the opportunity; at the end of the two days if your child is not enrolled we are not going to cut them off. We will work with you, we are monitoring the situation,” Dr. Adutwum added.

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Gov’t justifies 48-hour ultimatum to BECE candidates appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The computerized system was introduced in 2005, to replace the manual mode of selection and placement of students in Senior High Schools, which had for many years created a number of challenges.

Many parents have however complained about the inefficiency of the new system, after their wards were turned away in the past by some public secondary schools they had been posted to.

A typical example was the incident at the Wesley Girls High School, where over 200 students were refused admission in 2015.

The Ministry of Education is consistently faced with criticisms from parents and students over the recurrence of the situation.

But speaking to Citi News, the Public Relations Officer of the GES, Rev. Jonathan Bettey, said unlike previous years, the Service has so far not received complaints from parents or teachers on their wards’ postings this year.

He said the process has so far been smooth this year.

“We have not received any negative report from guardians, students or anybody. The only statement I heard yesterday [Thursday], and this morning was that, they are appreciating the good work that Ghana Education Service and the Ministry has done so far by releasing 95% of the candidates to their various schools of choices.

“The changes that government has put in is effective. This year’s results have proven to the entire public and most especially the Ministry that they have done a great job,” he said.

CPSS to be reviewed 

The Ministry of Education earlier promised to review the Computerized School Selection Placement System, CSSPS, to correct any defects associated with it.

Speaking to Citi News, the Public Relations Officer of the Ministry, Francis Gbadago, said the ministry would soon begin consultative meetings in a bid to improve the system.

“At the Ministry,  we believe that the CSSPS has served its purpose over the ten year period. It has served even better than the manual system that we had in the past. It has corrected quite a number of anomalies in the previous manual system. As stakeholders, we can make it better”he said.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

The post 2016 computerized placement has been smooth – GES appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.