SHS reopening date will not be postponed despite challenges – GES

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has served notice that the reopening date for Senior High Schools across the country remains September 11, 2017, in spite of some temporal challenges.

With 5 days to the start of the government’s flagship “Free Senior High School programme” government has said it is still putting resources together to ensure the programme kicks off smoothly, adding that it is doing everything possible to ensure that resources including food is available to all schools before Monday.

The umbrella body of heads of Senior High Schools, the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) had earlier expressed concerns over delayed release of funds to prepare for the commencement of the 2017/2018 academic year on Monday, September 11.

Furthermore, the deadline for candidates to check their results and placement online was due to expire today Tuesday, August 5, 2017, however the Education Ministry said it had further extended the deadline to midnight on Thursday August 7, 2017 following reports that many candidates have still not been able to access their results and placement.

Some frustrated parents have besieged the premises of the Education Ministry to seek placement for their wards following the challenges that have plagued the exercise. Government has said it is working to solve the Internet-based challenges that have hindered the Computerized School Selection Placement Secretariat (CSSPS).

However, despite all these teething problems, the Ghana Education Service insists that the 2017/2018 academic calendar will begin for all schools on Monday September 11.

The Public Relations Officer of GES, Rev. Jonathan Bettey in an interview with Fiifi Banson on Kasapa FM Wednesday stated that all the necessary arrangements have been put in place to ensure the Free SHS takes off next week.

“Every preparation to ensure the Free SHS programme takes off on the 11th September has been done. Everything is ready and I’m sure about that. The monies will hit the accounts of the various schools as soon as possible. The Education Minister, Director General of GES and the Finance Minister are working closely to ensure this is done. The monies will not delay, there’ll not be any disappointment. The promise we’re making is that Senior High Schools will resume on 11th September, freshers will also join them.”