2022 School selection: Cluster schools are optional – CSSPS
The management of the computerized school selection and placement system (CSSPS) says it is not mandatory for 2022 Junior High School graduates who sat for this year’s BECE to select cluster schools during the school selection process.
In an interview monitored by AcademicWeek, a staff of CSSPS said the Ministry of Education (MoE) in collaboration with the Free SHS Secretariat introduced the cluster-based system to address school placement challenges.
“The Minister for Education, Dr Yaw Adutwum suggested the implementation of the cluster of schools system after we noticed over 3,000 BECE students who had between aggregate 9 to 15 could not get placement last year,” he stated.
According to the CSSPS official, the cluster schools have been categorized into Category A, B and C in the school selection register to ensure a smooth placement of qualified students into various public second-cycle schools.
Asked why the selection of cluster schools is not compulsory for students, the CSSPS coordinator, Mark Sasu Mensah said idea is to allow prospective students more freedom in selecting their preferred Senior High/Technical School.
“Considering the benefits of the cluster-based system we want students to subscribe to the cluster schools because it is coming to solve a lot of problems. We did not make it compulsory because of freedom of choice,” Mark noted.
After ending the 32nd edition of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) for School on October 21, the 2022 selection of schools for computer placement will commence from October 31, 2022, to November 18, 2022
In a statement shared with AcademicWeek, the Education Ministry said it has produced a video explaining the school’s selection guidelines for candidates. The school’s selection video it said will be played on radio and television stations.
“The Ministry of Education (MoE) has produced a video explaining the schools’ selection guidelines for candidates. This video will be played on various radio and television networks across the country,” the Ministry of Education stated.
This year, two groups of BECE candidates (School and Private), for the first time, sat for the national examination during the same period. This was due to the consistently low entries for the BECE for Private Candidates over the years.
A total number of 552,276 prospective candidates from 18,501 Junior High Schools (JHSs) participated in the 2022 BECE for School Candidates at 2,023 centres throughout the country.
Regarding the BECE for Private Candidates, a total of 1,132 students representing 634 males and 498 females registered for the examination. The examination was taken at 15 selected centres, mainly in the regional capitals.
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) administered this academic year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) for School and Private Candidates, 2022 from October 17, 2022, to October 21, 2022.
