BECE Candidates to Select SHS Based on Their Exam Performance After Results Are Released – Education Minister.
In a significant shift aimed at improving fairness and accuracy in second-cycle school admissions, the Ministry of Education has introduced a new approach to the Senior High School (SHS) placement process.
Under this revised system, candidates of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) will now select their preferred schools only after their results have been officially released.
Announcing the development, the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, explained that the decision is part of ongoing reforms to strengthen the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS). He noted that the adjustment is intended to give candidates the opportunity to make well-informed and realistic school choices.
Previously, students were required to indicate their preferred schools before sitting for the BECE, often without any clear knowledge of their expected performance. This situation, according to the minister, led to inconsistencies in placements and contributed to challenges within the admission process.
He indicated that under the revised arrangement, candidates will be granted a mandatory one-week period after the release of results to review their grades and confirm their school selections accordingly.
The minister expressed confidence that this approach will enhance transparency, improve accuracy in placements, and reduce the difficulties commonly associated with the existing system.
Overall, the reform is expected to align students’ school preferences with their actual academic performance, thereby ensuring a more efficient and equitable placement process into Senior High Schools.