SHS placement: Report anyone demanding payment — Education Ministry urges parents

The Ministry of Education has urged parents and guardians to report anyone demanding money in connection with the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS).

The Ministry said CSSPS placement is free and no parent or candidate is required to pay to secure a school placement or have an existing placement changed.

It further assured parents and guardians who provide credible evidence of such demands that their identities will be protected.

“The Ministry wishes to emphasise that the CSSPS is fundamentally a merit-based system, with merit taking precedence over protocol in the placement of qualified candidates,” the Ministry said in a statement issued on Tuesday, September 15.

"Any parent or guardian who has credible evidence that an official of the Ministry, the Ghana Education Service, Computerized School Selection Placement System secretariat, Ghana Technical Vocational Education and Training or any third party is demanding money in connection with school placement is encouraged to report the matter to the appropriate law enforcement bodies for investigation and his or her identity will be protected," it added.

The warning comes amid concerns over the ongoing Senior High School (SHS) placement exercise and calls for greater transparency and accountability in the system.

The Ministry also welcomed the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference’s call for a transparent and comprehensive review of the CSSPS.

It said a Technical Working Committee would be established after the conclusion of the current placement exercise to undertake a comprehensive review of the system.

The review will examine the various components of the placement process, identify areas requiring improvement and make recommendations to strengthen transparency and accountability.

The Ministry said the ultimate objective is to ensure that the CSSPS remains credible, efficient, fair and responsive to the needs of students, parents and schools.