“Unfair and Unconstitutional!” GNAPS Challenges 30% Placement Policy That Favors Public Schools
The Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS) convened a crucial stakeholder engagement session with the manifesto team of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Accra on Tuesday, March 5 2024. This meeting is one of GNAPS’ ongoing endeavours to ensure that the concerns of private schools are adequately addressed and reflected in the manifestos of political parties leading up to the 2024 elections.
The Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS) has launched a strong challenge against the controversial 30% priority placement policy, calling it discriminatory, unconstitutional, and a betrayal of Ghanaian students’ right to equality. Prof. Damasus Tuurosong, President of GNAPS, delivered a passionate address at a press conference, asserting that the policy undermines meritocracy and penalizes private school students for seeking better educational opportunities.
“The 30% placement policy unfairly reserves slots in Category A Senior High Schools for public school students, leaving private school students to compete for what remains,” Prof. Tuurosong said. “This is not equity—it is systemic discrimination masquerading as policy.”
Exposing the Realities of Private Schools
Contrary to popular belief, private schools are not havens for the wealthy. Many low-fee private schools operate in rural and underserved areas, providing vital educational services where public schools are scarce. Prof. Tuurosong emphasized that the Ministry of Education’s assumptions about private schools being inherently privileged are misguided.
“These schools serve children from marginalized families, offering opportunities in communities where no state schools exist. To deny these students fair access to public SHSs is an injustice,” he noted.
The Cost of Discrimination
The policy, according to GNAPS, not only violates Article 25(2) of Ghana’s Constitution—which protects the rights of private school students—but also chips away at the core principles of fairness and equality.
“Parents make enormous sacrifices to enroll their children in private schools, often out of necessity rather than privilege. Penalizing their children for this choice is an affront to justice,” Prof. Tuurosong argued.
The Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS), a key ally in this advocacy, supported GNAPS’s stance. Obenfo Nana Kwasi Gyetuah, National Executive Director of GNACOPS, added, “The Constitution guarantees equality before the law. This policy undermines that guarantee by creating an artificial barrier for private school students.”
Demands for Reform
Both organizations, alongside other stakeholders, have formally petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate the policy’s constitutionality and recommend its immediate abolition. The petition calls for a merit-based system to replace the current discriminatory framework.
“We want a placement system that values students’ efforts and achievements, not one that penalizes them based on the type of school they attended,” Prof. Tuurosong said.
Emotional and Academic Toll
The press conference also revealed other injustices faced by private school students, including delayed BECE placements and withheld results under suspicion of malpractice. Many students from private schools are yet to be placed in SHSs due to what GNAPS describes as procedural delays by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
“The emotional and psychological toll on these students is immeasurable,” Prof. Tuurosong remarked. “It is time for the Ministry of Education to ensure fairness and accountability in all aspects of its policies.”
A Call for National Reflection
GNAPS and GNACOPS are not merely seeking justice for private school students—they are calling for a broader discussion about equality in education. “This is not just about private schools. It is about ensuring that every Ghanaian child has a fair shot at success,” Obenfo Gyetuah stated.
Prof. Tuurosong concluded with a powerful appeal: “If our education system is to serve as a ladder to progress, it must not be pulled out from under the feet of private school students. The Ministry of Education must show it values all children equally by abolishing this unjust policy.”
The case now lies with CHRAJ, but the pressure on policymakers is mounting. For Ghana’s private school students, the fight for fairness is far from over.
