A senior official at the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) has raised concerns over how the widely-used cutoff point system is limiting access to tertiary education for students from less privileged backgrounds.

The Institutional Advancement and Alumni Officer and Registrar in charge of the Dean of Students’ Office at UENR, James Clarke Hayford, described the cutoff system as a barrier that unfairly filters out capable students from vulnerable communities.

He was addressing final-year students at St. Louis Senior High School in Kumasi during a career guidance seminar.

Mr. Hayford, who is also a leading member of UENR’s outreach and sensitization team, argued that students from poor-performing schools should not be judged solely by their grades, especially when those schools lack adequate teachers, resources, and learning materials.

“The best grade some of these schools can produce is aggregate 12. But if you give that student the opportunity to enter the university and compete with someone who had aggregate 6, trust me, after four years, the one with 12 could emerge as the overall best student,” he said.

He acknowledged that while the cutoff point system helps to maintain academic standards, it must be made more flexible to allow determined students, especially those who meet the minimum university entry requirement to gain admission.

The basic university entry requirement for Ghanaian students ranges from an aggregate 6 to 36. However, Hayford questioned the practicality of this range.

“If someone has aggregate 36 in Ghana, can they walk into a university to pursue civil engineering? Most institutions would assume they aren’t capable, which is unfair,” he noted.

Drawing from personal experience as a former teacher at Holy Child School, Mr. Hayford emphasised how the presence of experienced staff impacts student outcomes.

He contrasted that with under-resourced schools where teachers are often posted for short periods and leave suddenly, disrupting academic continuity.

“My Head of Department had been at Holy Child for 20 years he understood the system and had the experience. The way he taught chemistry was miles apart from how a newly posted teacher in a deprived area would deliver,” he added.

Mr. Hayford shared his own journey to encourage the students, revealing that 25 years ago after completing SHS, he could not speak English fluently. However, he was offered the opportunity to attend university and it changed his life.

“Tertiary education gave me a chance to grow and excel. That same opportunity should be available to all students, regardless of their background,” he said.

The career guidance event was part of an annual initiative organised by St. Louis SHS to prepare students for life after school and help them make informed choices about their tertiary education pathways.

Assistant Headmaster of the school, Patrick Kwabena Amofa, said the event has proven helpful not only for students but also for parents.

“It saves families money by reducing the number of admission forms they buy. Students now understand what programmes suit their career paths,” he explained.

Among the enthusiastic participants were Vanessa Wiisewie Sukenabe, Assistant Head Girl in charge of Academics, and Prisca-Pearl Amfo, Assistant Head Girl in charge of Administration. Both expressed excitement over the session.

“We now understand the right subject combinations for specific university programmes. This gives us confidence going forward,” Vanessa said. The event featured representatives from multiple universities who took turns presenting opportunities and entry requirements, urging students to plan their academic futures carefully.