SHS admission requirements not changed – Minister

The Minister of Education, Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh, says the criteria for absorbing day and boarding students at the Senior High School level will not be changed.

However, guidelines in this respect will be made known to heads of second-cycle institutions.

He was addressing a meeting in Kumasi to sensitise heads of institutions on the implementation guidelines of the Free Senior High School policy to ensure equity.

Dr Opoku Prempeh said the elite schools are restricted to admit 70 per cent of first-year students, including protocols, while 30 per cent will also be reserved for students from public institutions to be admitted in the same senior high schools.

He, therefore, warned all SHS heads against taking bribes to coerce student admissions.

Dr Opoku Prempeh explained that textbooks and free hot meals had been added to the hitherto itemised bills of the SHS students that have been absorbed by government.

On the issue of the free hot meals for the SHS students, Dr Opoku Prempeh said there are about 161 day schools without canteen and canteen staff. Therefore, food vendors will be employed to deliver the service, starting from next month, until such schools are provided with domestic bursars, canteen, kitchen staff and labourers.

He suggested that the heads of schools organise a shift system to feed the day students due to the inadequate space to accommodate both boarders and day students.

He disclosed that all school will strictly go by the National Menu Plan and under no circumstance should any school go contrary to the National Menu Plan.

The Deputy Minister for Education in charge of Pre-Tertiary, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, said government will continue with the previous block projects, 42 schools across the country will be improved under the Secondary Education Improvement Programme being funded by the World Bank.