Accra August 15, GNA - The Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS), which starts in September, would reduce the high administrative cost associated with the old manual system of placement of junior secondary school students into second cycle schools. Under the system, there would be no protocol admissions and candidates would be selected based on the total scores obtained in order of merit for every school selected.

Mrs Adelaide Amoh, Greater Accra Regional Co-ordinator for the Programme, who was explaining the system to members of the Asylum Down Presbyterian Church, said the computerized system would address the stress and frustrations, which had characterized the manual system. Candidates could now select schools of their choice from any of the 10 regions and have an opportunity to select a fourth region where they would like to attend school should the first three choices fail to admit them.

Human error, arising from the long and two stage admission processes and loss of candidates' cards were some the disadvantages of the old programme, which the new system would eliminate, the Coordinator said. She said selection and placement of students into schools would be more transparent and would address public criticisms and remove all negative perception the public might have.

Mrs Amoh explained that after candidates had taken the exams from the West African Examination Council (WAEC) the CSSPS Unit would receive the final results, process the data and finally print out the list of placement.

The list would be distributed to all junior and senior secondary schools, all Regional and District Directorates of Education and to the Director for Secondary Education Division of the Ghana Education Service. Parents and students could go to any of these places to check. The computerized system would also give opportunity for pupils who for a reason qualified for secondary education but could not get admission to re-apply and have a chance.

Mrs Amoh advised parents not to underestimate or overestimate the academic capabilities of their children in choosing a school, saying, the CSSPS would not give room for last minutes changes in choice of schools.

"Parents must personally supervise and show interest in the choices their children make."

She urged candidates of Basic Education Certificate Examination to seek advice from Guidance and Counselling Officers in their schools to help them to determine the best programme selection. "Candidates are expected to refrain from examination malpractices and remove the notion that someone can assist them to gain admission to a particular school," Mrs Amoh said.