The Institute for Education Studies (IFEST) has welcomed the government’s decision to allow candidates of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) to choose their preferred Senior High Schools only after the release of their results, describing the move as a timely reform to improve the school placement process.

The new policy, announced by the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, forms part of broader efforts to enhance the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS).

Under the revised arrangement, candidates will be given one week after results are released to make their school selections, allowing for more informed decision-making.

The reform is expected to address longstanding concerns associated with the placement system, including mismatches between student preferences and final placements, which have often generated public dissatisfaction.

IFEST believes the approach has the potential to improve outcomes in both the short and medium term, provided it is implemented effectively. The think tank, however, emphasised the importance of ensuring that the system is fully prepared before rollout.

Speaking on Citi FM on Wednesday, April 1, Executive Director of IFEST, Peter Anti Partey, urged the Ministry to rigorously test the new system.

“The Ministry should run all possible scenarios and ensure the system is foolproof before implementation, so that when the time comes, it is simply the continuation of a well-tested process,” he said.