The Government of Ghana has placed 25,000 students into private senior high schools under the Computerized School Placement System (CSSPS), as part of efforts to expand the Free Senior High School policy.
However, unlike placements in public schools, government will not pay tuition fees for these students. Instead, it will provide a stipend of GHS994 per student per year.
Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, announced this during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with leaders of private senior high schools in Accra.
“The government is happy to partner with you to attempt to resolve the crisis of the double track system, which undoubtedly is affecting the delivery of quality education,” said the Minister.
The partnership aims to utilize excess capacity in private schools to reduce congestion in public SHSs and gradually phase out the double track system. A total of 70 private SHSs declared over 44,000 available slots, out of which 25,000 have already been filled through government placement.
“Vacancies declared by the 70 schools benefiting from the Computer Placement stand at 44,000. Government has been able to place at least 25,000 students in private schools — otherwise, those 25,000 would have been without schools, which could have ended their educational journey,” Mr. Iddrisu stated.
He reaffirmed government’s commitment to the financial support arrangement:
“Government remains committed to the terms and conditions of this agreement, and we are providing a stipend of at least GHC250 to support the initial transition of students into private schools.”
President of the Conference of Heads and Proprietors of Private Senior High Schools (CHOPSS), I.K. Mensah, emphasized the need for compliance with the terms of the agreement:
“We will not hesitate to let you disown private schools that do not go in tandem with the dictates of the agreement.”
Private school leaders have welcomed the government’s decision, describing it as a recognition of their role in national education delivery.
Executive Director of the Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS), Obenfo Gyetua, pledged full cooperation with the Ministry of Education.
“We are ready to partner with the government and ensure that whatever we have agreed in the MoU will be respected. We will protect the integrity of education.”
With over 40,000 declared vacancies in private schools, more students are expected to benefit in the coming years as the Ministry continues its push for broader collaboration in secondary education.
