Education-News Consult

The Ghana Education Service has released the 2024 School Selection Comprehensive Details to guide stakeholders, especially parents, candidates, and schools, in the selection of schools for BECE graduates.

The categorization of schools for 2024.

The 2024 policy guide for school categorization has divided schools into four categories.

These are as follows:

Category A: These are all oversubscribed schools. This indicates that a significant number of students choose these schools. Often, such schools admit less than 15% of the total number of students who choose them. The Presec Legon and Aburi Girls are two examples.

Category B: We refer to these schools as averagely subscribed, as students tend to select them more frequently than they do for Category A institutions.

Category C: These are undersubscribed schools, so students and parents are reluctant to choose them. These schools frequently encounter infrastructural difficulties, may be located far from the town, and are primarily boarding schools without a distinguished history.

Category D: This refers to all the day schools in the catchment area, which fall under either Category A, B, or C.

There are a number of schools from which students must select.

Candidates will select 11 schools in all. On Form 1, candidates will select 6 schools from Categories A, B, C, and D.

However, the detailed school selection rules are outlined below:

The first batch of six (6) schools’ guidelines has been released.

1. a) You can only select one (1) school from Category A.
2. b) In Category B, you cannot select more than two (2) schools.
3. c) The selection of five (5) schools from Category C and one (1) from Category D (Day) or Appendix 3 (Special Boarding) is allowed.
4. d) Candidates who wish to offer only TVET programs must select all six (6) TVET institutes from Category A, B, and C, whether they are day or boarding.
5. e) Lastly, candidates who wish to offer program choice in relation to future job prospects, such as engineers, physicians, astronauts, etc., must select STEM/Science in all their choices from categories A, B, and C, whether Day or Boarding.

Second batch of 5 schools

Select the second batch of 5 schools from APPENDIX 4

For each school, the candidate must select his or her preferred program of study and accommodation. Depending on the school, the available accommodations may be day only, boarding only, or both day and boarding.

Where will private candidates choose their schools?

Candidates who took the exam as private candidates are to visit www.waecinternetsolutions.org to make their school choices. However, the GES will announce the date for the start of private candidate school selection. Foreign students who want to tap into the school selection and enjoy Free SHS must purchase the Foreign Students Form, fill it out, and submit it to the Director for Schools and Instructions at the Ghana Education Service headquarters in Accra.

The 30% Public School Allocation Policy

This year, the GES and the MoE will apply the infamous 30% public school allocation policy that private schools have kicked against since its introduction. This policy reserves 30% of the total vacancies declared by each Category A school for candidates from public basic schools (JHS). This implies that all schools in Category A set aside 30% of their total vacancies for candidates from public basic schools who passed the BECE.

READ: New 2024 BECE Marking, School Selection Date Out

Advise parents on their 2024 Secondary School Selection Choices

We advise parents and candidates to take the selection of schools very seriously. Consider the candidate’s placement chances before selecting any school.

• You can choose any school for your placement, but selecting schools based on personal preference or liking does not ensure placement.
• Your placement will be determined solely by your academic performance in the BECE.
• The type of accommodation you choose will significantly impact your placement.4
• In the long run, raw scores from the core subjects and the top two electives will count.
• Even if they receive a grade of 1 in all other subjects, candidates who earn a grade of 9 in mathematics and/or English language will not receive placement.
• A student placed as a day student can not change from day to boarding in the school.
• Do not choose a school for your ward because everyone is choosing it.
• Do not choose a school all becuase someone mentioned that it is good among others.
• Do not make choices based on your taste.
• Parents should help choose schools and programs that align with the interest of learners.

It is hoped that these tips and details will guide parents and students during the school selection stage.