There are enough SHS spaces, but parents want popular schools- Kofi Asare

Kofi Asare, Executive Director of Africa Education Watch, has advised parents to manage their expectations regarding the ongoing 2025 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) placement process.

His comments come in the wake of a large turnout at the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) Hall in Accra on Tuesday, September 23, where hundreds of parents and their children gathered to seek clarification and lodge complaints about their placements.

Many voiced frustration over misplaced postings, unmet school preferences, and challenges in securing spots at their desired institutions.

Speaking on Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, Mr. Asare explained that while the country has ample space to accommodate the 590,000 candidates who sat for the BECE this year, the real issue lies in competition for specific schools and programs.

“The resolution starts with parents, because we have more spaces in schools than we actually need. Which means that we have the capacity to absorb all the 590,000 students that want to be placed this year."

“But the issue is that while the country has spaces in our secondary schools, the spaces do not meet the full expectations, tastes and choices of parents and, by extension, the candidates,” he said.

He emphasised that school placement should not be viewed as an absolute right, but rather within the context of merit and competition.

“One of the challenges is the over-democratisation of school placement, where you are told that you have the right to choose. But that is not absolute. It is relative within a merit-based system. You may wish to go to Labone SHS to do science, but you must also know that the school is a competitive Category B school."

“So, your chance of going there is not a matter of choosing but also making a competitive grade with respect to the course you are choosing, whether you want to be a day student or not. These two things determine the extent of competition,” he explained.

The education expert also stressed the importance of equitable access to education. He called on parents to embrace schools across all categories, rather than focusing on a select few well-known institutions.

“So, parents should understand that it is not possible for any government to serve them with the choice of their school for their wards. The only way we can ensure equitable access to second-cycle school is to ensure that all schools, regardless of their categories, are patronised by parents,” he stressed.