The Ghanaian government has announced a significant expansion of its flagship Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy to include private senior high schools, with implementation slated for the 2026/2027 academic year. Deputy Minister of Education, Dr. Clement Apaak, revealed that this initiative is a core component of the government's long-term strategy to alleviate pressure on public educational institutions and ultimately phase out the double-track system. He emphasized that incorporating private schools into the Free SHS programme has been a policy objective since the current administration took office and follows extensive consultations with stakeholders. Dr. Apaak stated, “As part of our campaign promise, we have been working diligently to bring on board private senior high schools in the delivery of the Free SHS programme. Meetings have been held, engagements have been done, and we are very certain that with the diligence we expect from our side and the eagerness of the private schools to participate, the private schools will deliver in their participation. We believe strongly that in fulfilling this manifesto campaign promise, this is going to serve as an artery in helping us bring an end to the double-track system.” The Ministry reported positive feedback from private institutions, many expressing readiness to adhere to the Free SHS framework, which is expected to expand capacity and ensure more equitable educational opportunities nationwide.

In conjunction with these broader educational reforms, the Ministry of Education has reinstated the practice of school selection *before* candidates sit for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), a policy that had been abandoned in recent years. For the 2025 BECE cohort, the school selection exercise under the Computerised Schools Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) commenced on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, and is scheduled to conclude on Friday, June 6, 2025, and will not be extended. The BECE itself is set to take place from June 9 to June 16, 2025. This reversal to pre-examination selection aims to prevent confusion and ensure that both candidates and their parents assume full responsibility for the school choices made. Officials have stressed that placement will be strictly merit-based, and once a candidate is placed in a selected school, the decision will be final and no changes will be permitted.

Under the revised guidelines for the 2025 school selection process, BECE candidates are required to select a total of seven schools: five main choices and two alternatives, all to be listed in order of preference. For the five main schools, candidates must select three as boarding options and two as day schools. Specific rules apply to school categories: candidates are not permitted to choose more than one Category A school and are limited to a maximum of two schools from Category B. However, candidates can select all five of their main choices from Category C. Dr. Apaak highlighted that a major reform is to allow candidates to select Category C schools, which may have similar proximities to often overcrowded Category A and B schools, as a measure to ease pressure on these higher-tier institutions. Candidates are also permitted to choose Category B schools as either day or boarding, and similarly, Category C schools can be selected as either option.

The new guidelines also cater to students with specific vocational and academic interests. Candidates interested in pursuing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes are required to select all five of their main choices from TVET institutions, adhering to the same category distribution: one from Category A, not more than two from Category B, or all five schools from Category C, with options for both boarding and day. Similarly, students aspiring to careers in fields such as engineering, medicine, or space science are encouraged to select STEM-based schools across all categories.

A significant emphasis in the revised process is placed on parental involvement. Both Dr. Clement Apaak and Sena Okity-Duah, the National Coordinator of the Free SHS Secretariat, have urged parents and guardians to take an active and keen interest in the school selection process for their wards. The new regulations explicitly state that no headteacher or teacher is permitted to complete the selection form on behalf of a student without the explicit consent of the parent or guardian. Furthermore, the completed form must be signed by the parent or guardian before submission to the headteacher of the candidate’s junior high school, and parents are advised to keep a copy of the form for their records. This measure is designed to ensure parents are fully accountable for the choices made and the information provided.

To facilitate a smooth transition to these new procedures, teams from the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Service and the Free SHS Secretariat will be deployed nationwide. These teams will conduct sensitization activities aimed at guiding candidates, parents, and school authorities through the updated selection process. The Deputy Minister reiterated that the government's overarching goal is to eliminate barriers to education, ensuring that all Ghanaian students benefit from equitable opportunities, irrespective of whether they attend public or private institutions. The Ministry plans to continuously monitor and evaluate the rollout to maintain the quality and integrity of the Free SHS programme as it expands.