As Form One students are preparing to join various centres of excellence in the country on January 15, parents who oppose their placement may be grappling with how to post them to their schools of choice.
On most occasions, these transfers are necessitated by preference, location of schools, and financial constraints among others.
However, unlike in the past when changing schools was done on a know-who basis, the Ministry of Education now has strict guidelines and processes that must be followed.
Parents are always advised to seek information on whether there are opportunities in a desired school before beginning the process. This is aimed at ensuring one does not waste time making an application for limited slots.
Not all schools will have a chance for a student because the placement is not only based on the performance of students but also on the availability of chance in a particular school.
How to Change Schools
The first step in making the change is to download the admission letter of the current school on the placement portal before submitting it to your primary school headteacher to stamp it.
Upon completion of the process, the student and the parent will then be required to submit the letter to the principal of the school they desire to join.
At this point, the receiving school principal will vet the application and begin the transfer process through the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS) platform.
The parent will have to then wait for the transfer to be approved. The process takes days and involves other education sector players. This, therefore, calls on the patience of parents and teachers.
Should the student's transfer be approved, one will be issued with the requirements of the new school in terms of what needs to be purchased, and fees among others.
Similar to other students joining the school, the students will also have to undertake medical tests and other assessments.
Tips
On the other hand, parents are usually advised to make the transfers early enough to ensure that the student does not miss out on classes in the process.
Early applications are also advised because the applications are prioritised on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Always engage with the school heads for a seamless process and better communication on school requirements.
