The government has unveiled plans to extend the Free Senior High School (FSHS) policy to cover private institutions, effective from the next academic year.
The announcement came as part of the Ministry of Education’s release of revised guidelines for the selection of schools by candidates preparing to sit the upcoming Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
According to the new directives, candidates will now be permitted to select up to seven schools, an increase from the previous limit of six choices.
The updated school selection process is set to commence today, May 27, and will run until June 6, providing students with an extended window to make their choices.
Addressing journalists at a press briefing on Tuesday, Deputy Minister of Education, Dr. Clement Appak, emphasized that the inclusion of private schools in the FSHS policy is a strategic effort to bolster the nation’s educational capacity and to progressively eliminate the double-track system currently in place in many public schools.
“As part of our campaign promise, we have been diligently working to bring private senior high schools on board for the delivery of the Free SHS programme,” Dr. Appak stated.
“We have held numerous meetings and engagements, and we are confident that with the commitment from our side and the willingness of private schools to participate, they will deliver on this initiative,” he added.
The Deputy Minister further explained that incorporating private schools into the FSHS framework is expected to serve as a critical measure in phasing out the double-track system, an arrangement introduced to manage overcrowding in public senior high schools.
“We strongly believe that fulfilling this manifesto campaign promise will help us bring an end to the double-track system,” Dr. Appak stressed.
He again remarked “ “This expansion is not just about increasing access, but also about ensuring that every Ghanaian child receives quality education in a conducive environment.”
Source :www.kumasimail.com
