Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has called for an immediate review of Ghana’s Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS), citing persistent challenges that continue to affect thousands of SHS students and parents each academic year.
According to Iddrisu, the placement system, which was introduced to ensure fairness and transparency in the allocation of students to senior high schools, has been plagued by inefficiencies, technical glitches, and allegations of manipulation.
He made this known during a visit to the Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School (PRESEC), Legon, on Monday, 20 October 2025, where he inspected the facilities and assessed the school’s admission procedures.
He said the frustrations experienced by students and guardians during the 2025 placement exercise underscore the need for urgent reforms.
“I have observed that some parents are unhappy, justified. Some students are unhappy, justified, because they chose a particular course, Science, and were given General Arts or Business. That would be a disincentive even for that child to study hard and do his best,” he stressed.
“It means that the computerised placement system is not working well for the country, and I’m happy to review it.
“I’ll put in place a committee to review its performance over the decade, and then give me a credible alternative. What we need is meritorious admission. Nobody would accept that you get an Aggregate 6, and you can’t get the spot of your first choice. That’s unfair, and we’ll look very closely into that,” he added.
The Tamale South MP also urged the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to engage stakeholders—including parents, teachers, and ICT experts—to identify weaknesses in the system and implement sustainable improvements.
Haruna Iddrisu further said he will ensure that all SHS placements are done strictly on merit, warning that any perception of favouritism or corruption could erode public confidence in the system.
The CSSPS, introduced in 2005, automates the process of placing Junior High School graduates into Senior High Schools based on their Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results and school choices.
Despite several upgrades over the years, many students continue to face placement challenges each year, prompting repeated calls for reform.
