The journey from junior high school to senior high school is a crucial step in a student’s educational path. It is a transition that lays the foundation for their future academic and career endeavors.
In Ghana, this transition is guided by the Ghana Education Service (GES) Senior High Schools selection guidelines, which help candidates and their families make informed decisions about their educational choices.
The guidelines for the 2023/2024 academic year have been outlined to ensure a smooth and well-organized selection process.
Preference and Program Selection
Candidates aspiring to enter Senior High School or Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) schools are required to follow these steps, in collaboration with their parents/guardians and school authorities:
Ranking of Schools
Candidates must select a total of six schools and rank them in order of preference, with the first choice being their most preferred school.
Program and Residential Status Selection
For each chosen school, candidates should also select the specific program they wish to pursue and indicate their preferred residential status, whether boarding or day school.
Compulsory Day School or Boarding Choice
As part of the selection process, candidates are required to choose a compulsory day school as their sixth option if it is located within 16 kilometers of the junior high school they attended. Alternatively, they can opt for a boarding school from the list provided in Appendix 3.
Second Placement Consideration
In the event that a candidate misses out on all their initial six choices, they are advised to select five schools for second placement consideration. This selection should include one school from Category A, two schools from Category B, and at least two schools from Category C, as outlined in Appendix 4.
Special Instructions for BECE Candidates
For candidates who have taken the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), specific rules apply to their school selections:
Category A Limitation
Candidates cannot choose more than one school from Category A.
Category B Limitation
A maximum of two schools can be selected from Category B.
Category C Selection
Candidates are allowed to select up to five schools from Category C, along with one choice from either Category D (Day) or the schools listed in Appendix 3 (Special Boarding).
TVET Programmes
Those interested in purely TVET programs are required to select all six TVET Institutes from Categories A, B, and C, specifying whether they prefer day or boarding school.
STEM/Science Programs
Aspiring professionals in fields like engineering, medicine, and other science-related disciplines are encouraged to select STEM/Science programs in all their choices from Categories A, B, and C, as either day or boarding students.
BECE Candidate Statistics
For the 2023 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), a total of 600,714 candidates participated, comprising 300,323 males and 300,391 females. These candidates represented 18,993 Junior High Schools (JHSs) across the country.
Additionally, the 2023 BECE for Private Candidates recorded an entry figure of 1,743 candidates, with 889 males and 854 females. This marked a 5.4% increase from the entry figure of 1,132 in the previous year.
The GES Senior High Schools selection guidelines for the 2023/2024 academic year aim to provide a structured approach for candidates and their families to make informed choices about their educational futures.
By following these guidelines, students can maximize their chances of securing placements in schools and programs that align with their aspirations and potential career paths.
Published By: Justice Donkoh | GESHub.org
