MoE asked to begin ‘SHS/TVET’ selection after BECE results release
The Executive Director for the Institute for Education Studies (IFEST), Dr Peter Partey-Anti, has called on the Ministry of Education (MoE) to start the second-cycle school (SHSTVET) selection after the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has released Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results.
According to him, starting the school selection after the release of the national examination results will resolve challenges and ensure fairness in the Computerised School Placement System (CSSPS).
The current school selection system requires final-year Junior High School (JHS) students to choose their preferred schools before sitting for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
Because school selections are completed in advance, placement begins almost immediately after Basic Education Certificate Examination results are released, ensuring that the academic calendar runs on schedule.
However, Peter Anti says the current system is deeply flawed because school selection choices are made without knowledge of actual results (a discrepancy between assumed and realistic performance).
He said the post-results school selection system places enormous pressure on the Ministry of Education to manage results release, school selection, and placement within a compressed timeline, potentially disrupting the academic calendar.
“As a consequence, many candidates, especially those with weaker academic backgrounds, select highly competitive schools where admission is unattainable
When school placements are released, such students are likely to miss their top three choices, leading to frustration, dissatisfaction, and perceptions of unfairness
The pre-results system also creates excessive pressure on a few elite Category A schools, reinforcing inequality in access to quality education,” Peter said in a social media post sighted by Pretertiary.com.
Suggesting a post-results school selection system, he said it offers an alternative that could mitigate these weaknesses, adding that students would first receive their BECE results before making their school choices.
“This enables them to compare their aggregates against the official cut-off points of various schools and also their preferred courses and then make realistic decisions that align with their performance levels.
For example, a candidate with an Aggregate 24 would immediately recognize that their chances at a highly competitive school are slim, and would instead select a Category B or C school where admission is more achievable
The benefits of this system are clear: it reduces the mismatch between student aspirations and school capacities, ensures greater fairness and transparency in placement, and lessens public dissatisfaction with outcomes.
Furthermore, it allows for more effective academic and career counselling, as students’ programme choices, such as Science, Business, or Technical, can be better aligned with their demonstrated ability,” he stated.
He added, “In comparing the two systems, it becomes clear that the pre-results model favors administrative efficiency but undermines fairness and realism, while the post-results model promotes transparency and equity but demands stronger logistical capacity
While post-results selection may present more administrative hurdles, its potential to reduce frustration, promote informed choices, and create a more equitable placement system makes it a reform worth pursuing.”
The Computerised School Placement System (CSSPS) has, since its inception, sought to provide a transparent and centralized process for placing Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates into second-cycle schools.
A major feature of the system is the timing of school selection, which currently takes place before the release of Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results.
This approach has attracted significant debate, with many stakeholders in the education sector suggesting that allowing school selection after results are known would yield better outcomes.
