The Ministry of Education has outlined the process for students interested in pursuing senior high school (SHS) education in Ghana.
The selection period for all junior high school (JHS) students opened on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, and will close on June 6, 2025.
Seven choices for TVET aspirants
According to the Free Senior High School Coordinator, Benita Sena Okity-Duah, each student wishing to enter a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) school is eligible to select seven schools in total, arranged in order of preference. These include five main schools and two alternatives, which must be chosen from Appendix 3.
The two alternative schools will be considered if the student fails to secure placement in any of the initial five.
Students must also select their preferred programmes and residential statuses—three boarding and two day schools.
Candidates may choose only one Category ‘A’ school.
They may select up to two schools from Category ‘B’, with one being a day school and the other a boarding school. The same rule applies to Category ‘C’ schools.
No changes after placement
Madam Okity-Duah emphasised that no changes will be made to placements once a candidate is admitted to any of their preferred schools.
She encouraged parents to prioritise Category ‘C’ schools, noting that Category ‘A’ and ‘B’ schools are usually oversubscribed.
She also reassured the public that Category ‘C’ schools are as well-resourced as their higher-ranked counterparts.
STEM schools
Candidates interested in scientific disciplines were urged to select all their schools from the available STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths) options.
Parents urged to be involved
Madam Okity-Duah appealed to parents to actively participate in the selection process rather than leaving it solely to schools and teachers.
“Parents and guardians, let us spend time helping our children choose the right schools, keeping their academic performance in mind,” she advised.
She also encouraged them to keep copies of the selection forms for future reference.
Nationwide sensitisation underway
A joint team from the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service has been deployed across the regions to sensitise the public on the new guidelines.
Govet reduces quota for public schools
She also announced a reduction in the quota placement for public schools from 30% to 15%.
Selection to precede exams
National Education Coordinator Dr. Belinda Glover disclosed that this year’s school selection will take place before the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
This measure aims to reduce the confusion that has plagued the placement system in previous years.
Caution to schools against unauthorised selections
Deputy Minister of Education, Dr. Clement Apaak, who represented the minister, cautioned school heads and teachers against filling out selection forms without parental consent.
He added that the ministry is working to include private SHSs in the Free SHS programme to ease congestion and phase out the double-track system.
Private schools welcome quota cut
Obenfo Nana Kwasi Gyetuah, National Executive Director of the Ghana National Council of Private Schools, welcomed the reduction in public school quotas.
“For now, we are okay with the reduction. We hope it will further be reduced in years to come to give equal opportunities to both public and private schools for placement,” he said.
