In a landmark decision aimed at significantly broadening access to quality secondary education, Ghana’s Ministry of Education has officially approved the inclusion of 25 private Senior High Schools (SHSs) in the 2025 Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) under the Free SHS policy. This marks the first time private SHSs have been integrated into the government’s flagship education program since its inception in 2017.
The announcement, made on Monday, June 16, 2025, signifies a strategic shift to alleviate the pressure on overcrowded public SHSs and ensure that more qualified students can pursue second-cycle education. The newly approved schools fall under “Category E” and are co-educational day institutions, strategically distributed across all 16 regions of Ghana. They offer a diverse range of academic programs, including General Arts, General Science, Business, Technical, Visual Arts, Home Economics, and Agriculture, providing a broader array of choices for incoming students.
To accommodate this significant expansion, the Ghana Education Service (GES), through a statement signed by Prince Agyemang-Duah, Director of the Schools and Instruction Division, has extended the school selection deadline to Wednesday, June 25, 2025. This extension aims to provide candidates and their parents ample time to review the new options and make informed decisions.
This inclusion of private schools is part of a pilot phase of the Free SHS policy expansion, a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Education and the Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS). The initiative specifically targets private institutions located in areas where public SHSs are grappling with infrastructural challenges and cannot accommodate all eligible students.
The Ministry emphasized that this “milestone reflects its ongoing commitment to equity and access in education.” The pilot program will be rigorously monitored and evaluated to inform future scaling decisions. As part of the next steps, the selected private schools are expected to undergo capacity-building exercises and preparatory assessments to ensure their alignment with Free SHS operational standards. The Ministry, GES, and GNACOPS will jointly coordinate training, oversight, and provide infrastructure support where necessary to ensure a smooth and effective implementation of this groundbreaking initiative.
