Parents in Ashanti region make U-turn on category C, D schools as reporting deadline approaches

The School Placement Resolution Centre in Kumasi, Ghana, has been dealing with anxious parents whose children have not yet secured placement for the upcoming first-year senior high school (SHS) semester. The deadline for reporting to school is approaching on September 18. Some parents are now willing to accept any school their children are placed in, regardless of whether their aggregate scores meet the school's cut-off requirements.

This shift in attitude is due to the fact that certain schools, such as technical institutions like the Kumasi Technical Institute (KTI), have already begun their academic activities, leaving unplaced students at risk of missing important educational opportunities. Parents are also urging the authorities to consider boarding status for students, as long-distance placements can lead to significant transportation costs and safety concerns.

Despite initially seeking alternative placements, some parents whose children were placed in Category C and D schools are now accepting the decisions and are requesting boarding accommodations for students placed in distant schools. The Ashanti Regional Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Education Service, Michael Owusu Baafi, confirmed that the school placement exercise has shifted to accommodate parents' new preferences, with a separate queue created to expedite the process and reduce congestion.

Baafi appealed to parents to remain patient and assured them that all resolved cases will be processed and reflected in the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) portal soon. GES officials have emphasized that all qualified BECE graduates will be placed and encouraged parents to cooperate with officials at the resolution centers nationwide.