By Edzorna Francis Mensah
The Association of Private Schools has petitioned filed with the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) kicking against the government’s 30% priority placement system.
The subject of this petition is the government’s 30% priority placement system, which reserves Category “A” Senior High School admissions for public school students, putting private school students at a marked disadvantage.
According to the Association, the 30% placement policy introduced in recent times has led to widespread concerns, “as it prioritizes public school students for highly sought-after schools, regardless of their academic performance compared to private school peers”.
The Association in a press release signed by Ms. Keren Boateng ahead of a news conference slated for, 14th November 2024 at Ghana International Press Centre, Accra on the Theme: “Equal Access for All: Addressing Inequities in Senior High School Admissions”, said, “this practice, in our view, compromises fairness and undermines the values of equity and meritocracy that Ghana’s educational system should uphold. Many private school students, who have worked tirelessly to excel academically, are now facing restricted access to these premier institutions due solely to the type of school they attended”.
They argued that the current placement policy creates an uneven playing field for private school students, affecting their academic and future career opportunities; Undermines academic merit as a key factor in school placements, compromising the quality and competitiveness of education and, Theme: “Equal Access for All: Addressing Inequities in Senior High School Admissions, discriminates based on school type, potentially violating students’ rights to equal treatment under the law.
The Association will present a detailed case during the conference, highlighting the educational, legal, and social implications of this policy. Representatives from private schools, concerned parents, and educational experts will be in attendance to shed light on the adverse effects of the policy and to advocate for a fairer, more inclusive system.