Mfantsipim: Students stranded as parents, authorities clash over admission

The serene academic campus of the Mfantsipim Senior High School in the Central region turned chaotic, as parents who seek admission for their wards resisted a second attempt to be turned away.

According to JoyNews’ correspondent, Richard Kwadwo Nyarko, it took the timely intervention of the police to avert violence on Monday.

The parents and students who were stranded yet saddled with luggage said, it was strange that they had to be turned away since they were dully admitted and given prospectus to report on Sunday.

The parents say they have nowhere to go. Once they were able to go through the self-placement, their boys should be admitted. 

The Computerised School Selection Placement System matches Junior High School (JHS) graduates with Senior High Schools they wish to attend based on a myriad of criteria.

The criteria include the aggregates of a student in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and whether they chose the secondary school they wish to attend as a first, second, third, fourth or fifth choice and whether they wish to attend the school as a boarding or day student.

This, however, has been dotted with challenges with allegations of bribery and inappropriate placements. 

At least two teenagers collapsed at the Black Stars Square Monday while in a queue to get placement into a senior high school.

They are among the frustrated thousands, including parents and guardians, who have thronged the vast space to correct issues relating to their placements after they failed to secure spaces in their chosen schools.

The two yet-be-identified female students had been queuing in the scorching Monday sun to get their issues resolved by Ghana Education Service (GES) officials when suddenly they fell.

In the video below, some persons tried to revive one of the students by pouring water over her.

The situation is no different from what is happening at Mfantsipim Senior High School. 

The Free SHS Coordinator for the Central Region, Okatakyie Opoku Agyeman, who was available to calm nerves said what is happening at Mfantsipim is an error. 

He reiterated what was on the school’s notice board. 

The notice said all those who did the self-placement from the September 9 to the 11, were in error and should be disregarded

This explanation only incensed the agitated parents who suspected foul play.   

According to them, “they have seen people with worst grades and poor raw scores that have been offered admission.”

The Coordinator has, however, called for calm urging that the issue will be resolved in due time.