Free SHS Secretariat resolves placement issues for majority of first-year students

The Free Senior High School (SHS) Secretariat has successfully addressed 60 to 70 percent of placement issues for first-year students across the country.

The Secretariat received over 6,000 issues, primarily related to students who were not initially placed in any school or sought to change schools due to location preferences.

Nana Afrah Sika Mensah, the Deputy Coordinator of the Free SHS Secretariat, provided insights in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra. She explained the categorization for school selection based on students' aggregate scores.

“Students with single aggregate were to select schools under category ‘A,' while students with aggregate 10 to 14 are to select from category ‘B.' Students with aggregate 15 and above are to choose schools from category ‘C' and select the program for their courses,” said Nana Afrah Sika Mensah.

The Deputy Coordinator assured that the Secretariat staff were actively working on the remaining issues, and challenges would be addressed within 24 hours.

She acknowledged the successful progress of the exercise and called for parents' patience as the Secretariat continued to resolve outstanding concerns.

Nana Mensah emphasized that although the admission process began on December 4, the Secretariat remains optimistic about promptly addressing any lingering issues. She noted that the initial weeks are dedicated to orientation for the newly admitted students.

Importantly, Nana Mensah highlighted the flexibility of the Self-Placement Portal, allowing students to change their selected schools multiple times until enrollment.

She further assured the public that all schools with vacancies have been uploaded on the portal, facilitating smooth self-placement for students without any complications.

Nana Mensah cautioned parents against making any payments to individuals, emphasizing that the placement exercise is entirely free.

The Ministry of Education, in a statement, shared that out of 598,839 results received from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), 585,797 candidates qualified for placement.