In Ghana, school principal complains about changes to student placement
In Ghana, the principal of Mansoman SHS senior high school, Reverend Nicholas Adu Berko, stated that the number of students assigned to his institution through the computerized school selection and placement system has begun to decrease. According to him, students and their parents are changing their placements to schools they consider more desirable.
As MyJoyOnline reports, Mansoman SHS initially had more than 600 students assigned to the institution on the portal. At the same time, the principal said that the rate at which students are arriving to enroll does not meet expectations.
Berko spoke to the media at a placement resolution center in Kumasi. He said he had received information about students visiting the center because they wanted to change their assigned school. According to him, the changes are also visible on the institution's portal: he cited the example of a student with an aggregate score of 10 whose name disappeared from the list after changing schools.
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Places for 800–900 students
The principal stated that Mansoman SHS has classrooms, dormitory spaces, beds, and other facilities to accommodate about 800–900 students. In his view, because of placement changes, some schools may have a significant number of vacant places despite having facilities and teachers.
Roads and school prestige
According to Berko, some parents explain their reluctance to send their children to Mansoman SHS by the poor condition of the roads, although they are being repaired. He stressed that access to education should not depend on whether an institution is located in Kumasi or another part of the country.
The school head also rejected the notion that institutions outside major urban centers do not have qualified teachers. He stated that Mansoman SHS teachers have the same academic and professional abilities as teachers at popular schools, including Prempeh College. Berko called for abandoning the ranking of senior high schools, which, in his opinion, influences parents' choices.
