Counselling needed for students placed in SHSs they did not choose – Private legal practitioner

Noah Adamtey, a private legal practitioner, has urged for the inclusion of counselling and orientation in the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) to aid students who are allocated to Senior High Schools (SHSs) they did not prefer. Adamtey emphasized the need for a holistic approach to education, including providing psychosocial support to students who might find it challenging to adapt to schools different from their choices.

According to Adamtey, such situations can cause emotional distress and distract students, as they compare their placement to that of peers who got admission in their desired schools. The legal practitioner expressed concerns regarding the difficulties encountered during this year's placement exercise, where many qualified Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) graduates ended up in schools they did not select, while others were left without placement.

Adamtey warned against the politicization of student placement into SHSs, as it could undermine fairness, transparency, and public trust in the system. He advocated for a review of the CSSPS guidelines and collaboration with stakeholders, including past and current Ministers of Education, before the next placement exercise to avoid similar issues.

Adamtey also called on school authorities, parents, and guidance and counselling coordinators to offer essential psychosocial support to first-year students, regardless of whether their assigned schools were their preferred ones.