The Ghana National Council for Private Schools (GNACOPS) has endorsed the government’s decision to include 25 private senior high schools (SHSs) in the Free Senior High School (SHS) programme, describing it as a strategic move to expand access and ease the burden on public schools.
Speaking on Morning Starr with Joshua Kodjo Mensah on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, Executive Director of GNACOPS, Obengfo Nana Kwasi Gyetuah, explained that the schools were selected based on a clear framework that considered multiple factors including location, infrastructure, programme offerings, and academic performance.
“We decided to come out with a framework that will help us to choose from many and also make it very comfortable for others to be brought to the scene. One has to do with the suitability of the locality of the school. While we have so many schools, if your school is closer to that of the government school or senior high school, and the numbers in those schools are not overflowing, then it becomes very difficult to be able to be part of this initial stage,” he explained.
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Mr Gyetuah added that schools with robust infrastructure and diverse academic programmes; such as General Arts, Science, Business and Visual Arts; were prioritised over those with limited offerings.
“Some of them are running only business programmes. So we are looking at the schools running full-scale programmes like arts, business, visual arts, science – and indeed you have adequate resources that will be able to boost the teaching and learning in the schools. So that was also one of the criteria of reference,” he said.
Past academic performance, especially in WASSCE results and co-curricular achievements such as cadet and leadership training, also played a role in the final selection.
“The private schools are coming in not to water down the performance of the senior high school—in terms of the quality. So what do you have? What are some of your past performances with WASSCE programmes and other co-curricular activities?” Gyetuah added.
READ: FSHS: 25 private SHSs selected based on infrastructure and performance – GNACOPS
The Ministry of Education’s approval of the 25 private schools marks the first time such institutions are being included in the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) under the Free SHS policy.
The selected schools, categorised as Category E, are all co-educational day schools spread across Ghana’s 16 regions. Their inclusion is expected to reduce congestion in public SHSs and support the government’s ongoing efforts to phase out the double-track system.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Hamdia Mohammed
