The Ghana Education Service (GES) has allayed fears of Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates despite delays in this year’s school selection policy.
The policy, unlike previous years, will see the candidates select their Senior High Schools after their examination rather than before.
A lot of students and parents have expressed worry over the policy raising concerns about the difficulty to implement. The schools have also raised concerns about the potential for the policy to affect their timetable.
Speaking to Daniel Dadzie on Joy Midday news on Multi TV Friday, PRO of GES Cassandra Twum-Ampofo allayed these fears, saying that the delay is just for the West African Examination Council (WAEC) to adjust their website to the new policy.
“We came out with the new policy guideline for the school-selection, as a result, we have changed the 2018 school register…and WAEC needs to redesign their software to fit policy hence the delay,” she said.
“The candidates will have three weeks after their exams to select the schools so it won’t affect the timetables,” she added.
Ms Twum-Ampofo highlighted some of the changes GES is introducing as part of the new policy guideline.
“We have regrouped the options into categories and this time the students will choose five schools and the number of school they choose in a category will also change,” she stated.
She explained that WAEC needs to set up its systems to fit into these new directives.
Asked whether the candidates will continue to select their schools after their exams in subsequent years, the Ms Twum-Ampofo said they will revert to the old system from next year.
“…absolutely not, because we are integrating a new guideline…that’s why the delay [came] this year.
Meanwhile, some BECE candidates who spoke to Joy News’ Nancy Emefa Dzradosi on Friday were optimistic of their chances with the sub-regional exams, saying that they have prepared fully and are ready to face the make or break trail.
“I have prepared very well and I know I will pass all the subjects,” one of the students said.
