Private second-cycle schools have expressed overwhelming joy following their inclusion in the government’s Free Senior High School (Free SHS) programme, describing it as a long-awaited breakthrough for the sector.
Reacting to the development, Richard Kyei Naphtali, Public Relations Officer of the Conference of Heads of Private Second Cycle Schools (CHOPSS), said the announcement marks a turning point for private institutions, which have for years advocated to be part of the policy.
“Excitement is an understatement. We are more than elated. We think that it’s a welcoming news. It is a long-awaited news. It is something we’ve always wanted to have, and I think it is the greatest opportunity we’ve been given. It is good,” Naphtali stated on the Channel One Newsroom on Saturday June 14.
The government’s decision was announced by the Ministry of Education on Monday, May 27, during the launch of revised guidelines for the selection of schools by Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates.
Per the new guidelines, BECE candidates can now select up to seven schools instead of six, and for the first time, private senior high schools are included in the list of eligible institutions under the Free SHS policy. The school selection window opened on May 27 and will close on June 6.
CHOPSS believes the inclusion will not only boost enrolment in private schools but also deepen collaboration between the private and public sectors in the delivery of quality education in Ghana.
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