The Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS) has issued a strong statement condemning the government’s 30% priority placement system for admissions into Category ‘A’ senior high schools. Joined by the Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS) and the Independent Schools and Teachers Council – Ghana (ISTeC-Gh), GNAPS has called on the government to abolish the policy, describing it as discriminatory and unjust to students from private schools.
At a press conference held at the International Press Centre, Prof. Damasus Tuurosong, President of GNAPS, highlighted the adverse impact of the system, which reserves 30% of admission slots in top public schools for students from public junior high schools (JHS).
This forces private school graduates to compete for the remaining 70% of places, a situation the associations argue undermines merit-based placement and limits equal opportunities for private school students, who, according to GNAPS, work just as hard to earn their positions.
The press conference also touched on the recent challenges arising from the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results.
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) had withheld the results of several private school candidates over alleged malpractice, though some results were later cleared without any findings.
The delay in releasing these results left many students without placements, exacerbating frustration among private school stakeholders.
In response, GNAPS, GNACOPS, and ISTeC-Gh have submitted a formal petition to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), urging a review of the 30% placement policy.
The associations emphasized that they would continue to challenge any policy that denies private school students fair and equal treatment.
They stressed that every Ghanaian child, regardless of the school they attend, deserves equal access to quality education.
