The Head Public Relations Unit at the Ministry of Education, Larry George Botchway, has cautioned the public not to fall prey to unscrupulous persons to part with any money in an attempt to secure placement of their wards into senior high schools (SHS) and technical vocational education and training (TVET) institutions.
In September 2019, when the academic year began, it took off smoothly albeit challenges with the placement of first year students under the Computerised School Selections and Placement System (CSSPS).
All went well in the country until March 11, 2020, when Ghana recorded the first case of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic; the academic year was never to be, as government on March 15, 2020 ordered the closure of all educational institutions in the country in line with measures to contain the pandemic.
Closure of schools
Initially, the closure did not include final year students of the senior and junior high schools but following appeals by civil society organisations, teacher unions and parents over the safety of the students and staff of the schools, the management of the country’s education finally ordered the final year students to also go home.