The Executive Director of the Ghana International School Excellence Awards (GISEA),Wilson Ofori Barry, has called for greater recognition of students who excel outside the classroom, saying academic performance alone should not define success.

Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Wednesday (29 July), Barry said the awards scheme was established to give outstanding students national recognition for achievements that often go unnoticed beyond their schools.

“The Ghana International School Excellence Awards is an educational platform that seeks to recognise and harness outstanding performances in various schools here in Ghana,” he said.

According to him, many students excel in academics, sports, creative arts and other fields, but their accomplishments rarely receive recognition beyond their school communities.

“Some students don’t only excel in academics, but they do very well in other fields as well. We want to throw more light on such categories and give them greater exposure,” he said.

Barry said while Ghana’s education system has traditionally focused on academic excellence, there is a need to celebrate students with talents in other disciplines.

He noted that the awards seek to encourage students to understand that their abilities remain valuable regardless of whether they are top performers academically.

“It’s not only about academics. Some may not perform very well academically, but in other fields of life they are doing so well,” he said.

The selection process involves participating schools nominating students based on various categories, with class teachers and school administrators helping to identify deserving candidates.

Barry said judging is based primarily on students’ achievements, with public voting contributing only 20 percent of the final assessment.

“Our main focus is accomplishments. Public voting contributes about 20 percent, but we are mainly looking at the students’ achievements,” he explained.

He added that independent education professionals and stakeholders form part of the judging panel to ensure fairness and transparency throughout the selection process.

Initially designed for international schools, the awards have since been expanded to include schools following the Ghana Education Service curriculum to ensure broader participation and equal recognition.

Beyond the awards ceremony, Barry said recipients will be encouraged to champion community initiatives that showcase their leadership and abilities.

He also urged parents to support children whose strengths may lie outside traditional academic subjects.

“I will encourage all parents to motivate their children to take part in developmental activities aside academics, and those who excel academically should also explore other areas where they have passion and interest,” he said.

The 2026 Ghana International School Excellence Awards will be held on 12 September at the Ghana Shippers Authority Auditorium in Accra, bringing together students from 15 participating schools to celebrate excellence in academics and other fields.