Koforidua, Jan.25, GNA- About 26,000 candidates of the 2004 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) have been placed in Senior Secondary Schools (SSS) in the Eastern Region under the Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS).
Out of the number, about 3,000 candidates who qualified and were placed in five private schools in the region had been re-placed in 76 public SSS following petitions made by their parents.
The Eastern Regional Co-ordinator of CSSPS, Mr Samuel Appiah, who disclosed this in an interview with the GNA, at Koforidua on Wednesday, however, indicated that placements was still on-going to ensure that every qualified candidate was put in a school "not according to choice, but according to programmes."
According to Mr Appiah, about 19,800 candidates qualified from the Eastern Region but the number was exceeded due to admissions of other qualified candidates from other regions that was significant of the new system.
He explained that under the new system, candidates who had aggregates ranging from 6 to 30 were qualified to be placed in schools to offer programmes of their choice which was hitherto difficult under the old system where parents had to move from school to school seeking admission for their wards.
Mr Appiah said placement of deferred candidates since 1998 were also being processed for admission into schools that had vacancy and programmes of choice for such candidates.
He mentioned influences from old students, churches, traditional authorities and insincerity on the part of some heads of institutions which hindered the smooth admission of candidates in the past, had now been curtailed under the new system and called on the public to accept the system.
The CSSPS Coordinator said the system would boost improvement in education in the country and called on parents to report early to schools where their wards had been placed to avoid inconveniences.
