Ex-MoE reacts to Private Schools petition on SHS/TVET placement

Former Minister of Education, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh has condemned the Private School Associations’ petition for the 30% computer placement slots allotted to public BECE students into Category ‘A’ second cycle schools to be abolished.

Speaking at an engagement with students of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), he said “I heard Ghana National Association of Private Schools are telling us that they are going to court to stop the Free SHS for allocating 30 per cent of placements to poor children who go to public schools

The reality was that when I introduced 30 per cent for equity, I didn’t pluck it from the sky. It already existed but abused for the well-connected and the privileged.”

His reaction comes after four Private School Associations petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to conduct a thorough investigation to determine if the 30% placement priority system violates the 1992 Constitution.

They say the 30% placement priority given to Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates from public schools undermines the constitutional rights of private school students, as outlined in Article 17 of the 1992 Constitution.

The unfair computer placement policy, the Private School Associations say also discriminates against private school students, depriving them of fair access to Category ‘A’ second cycle schools despite their academic qualifications.

The Associations in their petition to CHRAJ pointed out that Article 25(5) promotes equal educational opportunities, but the current school placement policy creates an unjust barrier that prevents private school students from accessing top-tier schools based on merit.

“In accordance with Article 25(2) of the 1992 Constitution, which clearly affirms that ‘Every person shall have the right, at their own expense, to establish and maintain private schools at all levels and of such categories, subject to conditions as may be provided by law,’ it is evident that the Constitution protects the right to establish and maintain private educational institutions,” he stated.

The four Associations are the Private School Associations are the Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS), the Ghana National Association of Private Schools, The National Council Of Parent-Teacher Associations of Ghana and the Private Education Coalition (PEC).

This year, a total of 603,328 candidates, comprising 297,250 males and 306,078 females, from nineteen thousand, five hundred and five (19,505) Junior High Schools (JHSs) entered for the school examination.

This includes seventy-two (72 ) candidates with visual impairment, two hundred and thirty-nine (239) with hearing impairment, and one hundred and sixty-one (161) candidates with other test accommodation needs.

The examination was conducted at two thousand, two hundred and thirty-seven (2,237 ) centers across the country. Out of the total number, two thousand, five hundred and twenty-six (2,526) candidates were absent.

The BECE for Private Candidates recorded a total entry figure of one thousand, three hundred and ninety (1,661) candidates. This was made up of eight hundred and fifty-eight (858) males and eight hundred and three (803 ) females.

Fifteen (15) centers, mostly in the regional capitals, were used for the BECE for Private Candidates. Out of the total number of candidates who entered for the examination, fifty-seven (57) were absent.