The Ministry of Education has announced plans to set up a technical committee to review the Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) following growing concerns from parents and students about its fairness and accuracy.
Speaking during a surprise working visit to the Presbyterian Senior High School in Accra, today, October 20th, Minister for Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, said the move is part of efforts to ensure greater transparency, efficiency, and fairness in the placement of students into second-cycle institutions across the country.
According to the Minister, many parents and students have expressed dissatisfaction with the placement outcomes, some of which have left students disheartened. “To do an assessment and have a feel for myself of what parents are going through, I have observed that some parents are unhappy, justified. Some students are unhappy, justified, because they chose a particular science course, and were given general arts or business. That would be a disincentive, even for that child to study hard in business,” he said.
Hon. Iddrisu noted that the current system, which was introduced to streamline school placements, has faced challenges that undermine its credibility. “It means that the computerized placement system is not working well for the country, and I’m happy to review it, and I will review it,” he stressed. “I will put in place a committee to review its performance over 30 days and then give me a credible alternative. What we need is meritorious admission.”
The Minister also expressed concern about the influence of favoritism and protocol placements in the current system. “Nobody would accept that you cannot do business, you can’t get a spot in a third class. What can explain that? It cannot be explained because that candidate has been pushed away by protocols. That’s unfair, and we’ll look into that,” he emphasized.
Beyond the placement concerns, Mr. Iddrisu also observed infrastructural challenges during his visit. He highlighted that many schools still face shortages in classrooms, dormitories, and laboratories, saying, “My assessment here is that classrooms are not adequate, dormitories not adequate, laboratories insufficient.”
The Minister’s commitment to reforming the CSSPS has been welcomed by education stakeholders, many of whom believe a transparent and merit-based placement system is crucial to restoring confidence in Ghana’s secondary education structure.
The technical team is expected to be constituted in the coming days, with a mandate to conduct a comprehensive review and submit recommendations within 30 days.