30% SHS placements for public schools is rewarding laziness – Director bemoans

The Director of Joy Standard Schools in the Ashanti Region, Stephen Donkor, has described the preferential treatment accorded to public school students during Senior High School placements as one that rewards laziness.

Speaking at the school’s annual graduation on Tuesday, September 3, 2024, the director pointed out that the discriminatory computerized school placement system for candidates of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) had become a major challenge for private schools.

“Before candidates sit for the BECE, private school teachers work very hard to prepare them for the final exams, unlike the government schools, but an average of 30 percent placement is awarded to the public schools,” he bemoaned.

Donkor argued that the system was unfair, insisting that private schools are known to put in tremendous effort to prepare candidates ahead of the BECE, unlike most public schools where performance remains relatively suboptimal.

He told Ultimate FM’s Loretta Boamah, “We prepare private candidates well, but government schools do not seem to do their best. Giving public candidates that 30% signifies that, in Ghana, the reward is awarded to non-performing citizens while hard workers are punished,” he contended.

“In the Bible, God wants us to reward hard work, not lazy work, but leaders of Ghana are doing the opposite, which is not the best,” he stated.

The director pointed out that the school placement system has had a detrimental impact on private school enrollment, as parents increasingly choose government schools over private institutions, resulting in a decline in student numbers.

“Because of this, parents are sending their wards to public schools one at a time,” Mr. Donkor added.

He urged the government to create a level playing field that supports the operation, sustainability, and growth of private schools, as the sector plays a pivotal role in the provision of quality education in Ghana.

The headmaster of Joy Standard Academy, Boakye Forson, called attention to the merits and demerits of the new curriculum on students, the school, and parents.

He indicated that the curriculum imposes a wider responsibility on the education system to invest time, funds, and effort into research and modern information technology to support its smooth delivery.

He cautioned that the economic situation in the country could render some parents incapable of providing their wards with the digital technology required for learning.

He warned that the system, which has the potential of creating inequalities, could further result in students having difficulties adapting to the new subjects.

The graduation ceremony, themed ‘Promoting Education through Socialization,’ saw the promotion of 45 kindergarten students and 75 primary six students at the school’s Feyiase campus and 54 others at its Atonsu High Tension campus.

Joy Standard School is a premier private school in Ghana that offers quality education with a focus on leadership and moral values. The school runs a well-rounded curriculum delivered by an experienced faculty in a supportive learning environment.