GES gives update on SHS/SHTS students mid-break amid WASSCE

As Senior High and Senior High Technical School (SHTS) students prepare to go on a mid-semester break from June 2 to 9, 2023, the Ghana Education Service says the academic break is not compulsory for final-year students who will be sitting for 2023 WASSCE this year.

In a communique sighted by AcademicWeek, the Ghana Education Service said: “Management wishes to remind all Senior High and Senior High Technical Schools of the scheduled mid-semester break from 2nd June to 9th June 2023.”

GES in the communique added that “while the break should be observed, individual schools who wish to have their Form 3 students remain in school to continue preparations for the upcoming WASSCE for School are permitted to do so.”

The management of following the alternative has urged all heads of various public Senior High and Senior High Technical Schools to ensure they accommodate all other students who may wish to remain in school during the period.

Slated for July 31, 2023, through to September 26, 2023, the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) barring any last-minute changes, will conduct the Ghana version of WASSCE to prospective final-year students in the country.

A spokeswoman for the not-for-profit organization, Anges Teye Cudjoe at a press briefing said just like last year, Ghana this year will not write the WASSCE for School with other member countries of the West African Examinations Council.

“The examination, which will once again be a Ghana-only version of the WASSCE will be conducted from Monday, July 31, 2023, to Tuesday, September 26, 2023,” the Public Relations Officer (PRO) told stakeholders at the press briefing.

The West African Senior School Certificate Examination is administered to school candidates in the third year of Senior High School and to private candidates. The examination is for both selections to tertiary institutions and certification.

Meanwhile, some five Senior High Schools (SHS) have been blacklisted by the non-profit-making organization to register their students for the 2023 edition of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

The affected SHSs, WAEC in a release copied to AcademicWeeK said are; Olistar Senior High/Technical School, Abesim; Gateway SHS and Law­rence SHS, both in Sunyani; First Class SHS, Achimota, Accra and Martin Luther SHS, Kintampo.

The Council said the schools were barred from the examination for commercializing the WASSCE registration process by putting out banners and charging between GH¢1, 200 and GH¢6,750, as the 2023 WASSCE registration fees.