The hassle associated with this year’s school placement has been nightmarish.
Although the picture of a smooth exercise is being painted, we can simply conclude that it is just part of a choreographed propaganda.
Indeed, the best persons to give a true picture of the situation on the ground are parents.
Parents who do not have the means to influence those in charge of the placement centres have to cope with the complaints of their wards at home, especially those who did so well and are expecting to be placed in schools of their choices. Some of such students, and they are many, have ended up being placed outside their places of residence and as day students.
Boarding status has been denied many prospective students, a situation which has led to speculations that it is part of a deliberate scheme to reduce the number of boarders in public schools. If you do not want to be openly scrapping the Free Senior High School (SHS) programme and earn the wrath of the people, simply reduce the numbers going to the boarding schools. That is what government is subtly doing, according to political gossips.
As usual when people are pressed, they fall victims to corrupt officers in charge of the school placement activities.
Some parents are paying good money for their kids to have their schools changed, and it is happening. The more popular the school is, the more parents have to pay to have admissions for their wards. The amount being paid of course without receipts vary between two thousand and fifteen thousand Ghana Cedis. That is the story, and those who dispute this can go to the field for verification.
There is no convincing explanation about students gaining aggregate 9 being denied their first choices.
A young girl who did very well, aggregate 9, was given O’Reilly Senior High School and as day student. The father of the young girl was so incensed that he simply did not know what to do. He ruled out bribing to have his daughter gain admission to Achimota or Accra Girls’ Senior High School.
His last resort – seeking the intervention of politically connected persons some of whom might not pick his calls. What if he does not have such links?
Perhaps it is time to rethink the system, especially given the rising number of pupils qualifying to proceed to SHS across the country.
We progressed from the initial first and second school choices and a region for the third to the current computer placement, which over time has posted challenges as being witnessed in this year’s chapter.
Parents and pupils too should be blamed for some of the challenges being witnessed. With schools categorised and for that matter having varying grades for admissions, yet some pupils who do not meet the grades insist on being posted to such schools.
This is where the corruption sets in, and those who benefit from it are exploiting the once-in-a-year opportunity to the detriment of financially stressed parents.
We are looking at a future where challenges as aforementioned do not feature in the school placement system. It can be done when stakeholders brainstorm on the subject so they can come out with effective interventions.