AUDIO: JHS graduate attempts suicide over failure to secure school placement

A Junior High School (JHS) graduate has contemplated suicide after unsuccessful attempts to secure a school through the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS).

In an interview with JoyNews at the GNAT Hall on Tuesday, Elvis Dzagba, the father of the student explained that his daughter attempted taking her own life after she discovered that none of her preferred schools was given to her.

“My daughter is worried; she nearly took a drug to kill herself. So, I am pleading with them to help me to get school for my daughter,” he said.

A nationwide self-placement exercise commenced on Monday, March 28 for about 187,542 JHS students who could not get placed during the automatic placement.

According to the Education Ministry, more than 130,000 individuals are expected to go through the self-placement system.

But many stranded parents working against time to get their wards enrolled in the school have described the process as difficult and frustrating.

Mr Dzaba pleaded with authorities to enhance the self-placement processes and ensure that students get their preferred school choices.

He was hopeful his daughter would soon get a school and be happy to avoid the suicidal thoughts.

“They have collected all the forms and they told us to go, they will call us back after they finish. So I am expecting them to call us. Right now, we have chosen Aburi Sec. Tech., Mount Sinai and Akropong. I hope we will get it,” he said.

On her part, the student, whose name was only given as Ohenewa, said she had plans of writing the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) again.

“I was very sad. I thought I would get my first choice or my second choice but I didn’t get any of them.

“When I didn’t get school, I thought maybe I will go and write again but my dad is helping to get a school so I am bold and sure I will get one now,” she said