The Bono Regional Coordinator of the free Senior High School Directorate, Evans Kusi Boadu has blamed parents for the challenges that characterized the placement of students into Senior High Schools.
According to him, before the school selection begun there was an orientation for parents on how to select schools.
However, Mr. Boadu said most parents neglected the directive.
“Some parents complained that their wards were placed in schools they never chose. I find it very difficult to believe that because before this exercise, GES mounted a program whereby we tried to educate the communities.”
“We asked that parents should take interest in the selection of schools before they are sent to WAEC for the final step of the placement exercise but it appears some did not take it seriously so they allowed their wards to make the choices,” he said.
In the past few days, thousands have crowded the solution centres created by the Education Ministry to resolve the numerous challenges encountered with the search for a place in a Senior High School under the Computerised Schools Selection and Placement System (CSSPS).
The Greater Accra regional solution centre located at the Black Star Square had frustrated parents and wards stranded, with some of them being rushed to hospitals after collapsing.
However, it was reported on Tuesday that calm had returned at the Black Star Square, with processes to solve the problem running smoothly.
Frustration in the Ashanti Region
Some persons who went to the complaints Centre at the Ashanti Regional GES office at Amakom have revealed they are still in frustration as they haven’t gotten any solution to the problem.
Some students and guardians spoke to Citi News.
“I came here with my sister. We’ve come here to do her placement again and the process hasn’t been easy so far. They’ve told us to select different schools and wait till Monday till another placement comes so we’re still waiting. It hasn’t been easy. I came here around 9 and it still hasn’t been through,” one lady said.
Another gentleman also narrated, “I just came here to make amendments on the schools. I checked my brother’s name on the internet and found out his name was on the placement list is in Nsutaman. At first we went there but they told us that my brother’s name is not in the list so we came here to make amendments. We’re calling on the government to come and do something new because we’re suffering over here. We don’t know what to even do next.”
Calm in Northern and Volta regions
Meanwhile, no challenges have been recorded at the Northern School of Business Senior High in Tamale which is still accepting postings from JHS leavers.
Out of the 1,020 vacancies declared, 981 students have so far been placed.
The headmaster of the school, Reverend Edward Azika said that besides parents seeking to change the postings of their wards, the process has been smooth.
He said, “We’re expecting 1,020 students for both tracks. So far, 981 have been placed. That means there’s still a little vacancy of 38 students to complete. Also, we have enrolled 530 at this moment. There have been very little challenges. The challenges I get is that parents complain of their children being placed as day students while they come from far. That is not a problem I can solve within my domain so normally I just refer them.”
In the Volta Region, Mawuli Senior High School which has been designated by the GES as a complaints centre has also recorded no complaints from parents when Citi News visited.
The school is, however, admitting first-year students who started reporting last Sunday.
The process is also running smoothly at Ola Girls’ Senior High School and Mawuko Girls Senior High School.