GES releases BECE 2023 Senior High Schools selection guide book

The Ghana Education Service (GES) as part of an effort to sensitize candidates who sat for this year’s BECE on how to make the right choice in their school selection has released a Senior High Schools selection guide brochure.

According to the brochure, GES says students who completed BECE at the Junior High School level and meet the relevant requirements will enter a public Senior High School or Technical/Vocational School through the school placement system.

The Senior High School placement system dubbed Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) per the school selection sensitization brochure sighted by AcademicWeek will be administered by the Ghana Education Service.

The 2023 Senior High School sensitization brochure consists of do’s and don’ts of the second cycle school selection process and also the most frequently questions about the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS).

Introduction to school selection

BECE candidates choose their preferred schools in consultation with their parents/guardians and their school authorities, using the school register provided for that year by the Ghana Education Service (GES).

Each student is required to make three (3) choices. Students must indicate their preferred schools in descending order (i.e. from the most preferred to the least preferred); their preferred programme of study (General Science, General Arts, Business, etc.); and their preferred residential status (Day or Boarding), for each of their first three choices.

Additionally, students are to select one Technical School and Programme. Technical Schools have all been put in Category E. The student may select a Technical School with a Day or Boarding residential option as preferred, or as available.

Also, candidates are to select a school with compulsory Day Status and it must be a school from category D. The school chosen must also be within the candidate’s catchment area, so that the student can conveniently commute to the School, as a day student.

The 5th choice of school can also be the same as any of the candidate’s first four schools chosen. For instance, a candidate is allowed to choose School A as their first choice, with a boarding status, and then choose the same school as their 5th compulsory DAY OPTION.

The school selection sheet must be signed off by a parent/guardian and a copy obtained from the school for record-keeping after the head teacher has endorsed it. After the selection is done, the District Exam Officers upload the data into the database of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) platform.