SHS vacancies — 255,154 declared

A total of 255,154 vacancies have been declared by heads of public senior high school (SHSs) and technical institutions for the placement of pupils who qualified after the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), under the Computerised Schools Selection and Placement System (CSSPS).

This, according to the National Co-ordinator of the CSSPS, Mr George Atta-Boateng, means that most of the qualified candidates would be placed successfully.

In addition, there would be placement of 30 per cent of candidates in the catchment area schools.

The catchment areas are schools within a community where a candidate lives.

“Qualified BECE candidates who were unable to gain admission to or deferred their admission to SHSs or TIs within the immediate past three years will also  be eligible for selection and placement alongside this year’s candidates,” he said.

Mr Atta-Boateng hinted that fresh students entering SHSs and TI would be expected to report to school on October 15, 2013.

In an interview with the Junior Graphic, he announced that the placement had been done over the weekend.

He said parents and guardians could now text 1060 to all networks to check the school their children or wards had been placed.

He explained that “as and when the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) releases the results of schools that are being investigated, we will place them as well.”

Mr Atta-Boateng advised parents not to deal with anyone who offered to  help them secure placement for their wards or pay money to middlemen, adding, “it is illegal and unacceptable. Therefore, anyone found  doing that could be arrested by the security operatives.”

This year, all candidates opting for SHSs were made to choose in addition to the first four schools, a maximum of two TI or vocational institution.

A total of 391,082 candidates wrote this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and WAEC has so far released provisional results of 383,812 and withheld that of 130 schools for forging assessment records and other examination malpractices.

Written by Hadiza Nuhu-Billla Quansah

Junior Graphic/graphic.com.gh/Ghana