Students reported to senior high schools (SHSs) and technical and vocational institutes (TVET) yesterday to begin their first year, with trunks, chop boxes, mattresses, pillows, brooms, brushes and other items in tow.
The Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) of the Ghana Education Service (GES) had placed the students in various institutions, and they were initially supposed to report on February 20.
However, due to the short notice after their placement, the GES extended the reporting date to February 27.
The Daily Graphic monitored the process, with Shirley Asiedu-Addo and Francisca Eshun observing in Cape Coast and Dickson Worlanyo Dotse and Yaa Kuffour Senyah observing in Accra.
Some schools had to create additional spaces for parents and guardians to accommodate the large number of students who came to register.
Parents were also seen carrying their children's chop boxes.
At the Presbyterian Boys Secondary School (PRESEC, Legon), Accra Academy and West Africa Senior High School, the roads witnessed a virtual gridlock of anxious parents and students reporting.
However, online registration portals have been introduced in most schools, which have made things easier, more efficient and convenient, thereby easing the pressure on parents.
The registration processes in all school premises were smooth, with no disruptions observed.
At the Accra Girls' SHS, the Assistant Headmaster in charge of Academics, Sebastian Akali-nya Adama, said the school was expecting a little over 700 students.
Last year, they had more students than they anticipated, and they had to fill only the spaces left by graduating students.
This year they will be replacing the number that is left, and they cannot exceed that number or else they would create congestion.
“Last year, we had more numbers than we anticipated so at a point we wished we could stop admitting but since they came with the name of the school, we could not reject them.”
“But luckily for us, we had two new dormitories at the time built so we managed to take care of them,” he said.
“However, this year we are only replacing the number that left; we had 840 that completed so we cannot go beyond that or else we could create congestion,” Mr Adama added.
The Daily Graphic also visited the Accra Technical Training Centre (ATTC), where the Vice-Principal in charge of Domestic, Robert Asante, revealed that although the school declared 720 vacancies, only 580 students had been placed there at the time.
He maintained that there were enough spaces available for students who were undergoing self-placement methods and were interested in technical education.
“Normally, when they do the placement some also change schools, so someone will be placed here but will not come.
“So those who come in for consideration when there is a vacancy, we will consider them,” Mr Asante added.
