Place all 54,985 affected BECE candidates in schools and publish final outcome – NPP urges govt.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has called upon the government to place all 54,985 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates affected by the placement exercise in schools, and publish the final outcome. The party argues that merely allowing candidates to access the self-placement portal does not guarantee they will secure their desired schools or programs.

The NPP's statement, signed by Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, highlights the government's announcement that 53,887 affected candidates could use the self-placement system, but emphasizes that this does not ensure placement in preferred institutions. The party points out that Ghana currently has 859,828 vacancies for BECE candidates, but notes that the main issue lies in the concentration of demand in a few highly subscribed schools, with 76,417 vacancies in Category A schools.

The NPP urges the government to explore ways to enhance available schools, such as providing necessary resources like teachers and laboratories, and invites private schools participating in the Free Senior High School program to absorb the remaining candidates. They also request clarification on the pass mark and rules of this year's placement exercise, to ensure parents are well-informed before their children sit for the exam.

The NPP emphasizes the urgency of action to prevent these candidates from being left behind in their transition to secondary education.