The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has called for an independent review of the 2026 Senior High School (SHS) placement exercise, citing concerns over alleged bribery, questionable admissions practices, and placements that may not adequately reflect the circumstances of affected students.
The Conference said the recurring concerns surrounding the Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) risk undermining public confidence in a system introduced to promote fairness, efficiency, and equal access to secondary education.
In a statement signed by its president, Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, Bishop of Sunyani, the conference said an independent assessment was necessary to determine whether the placement process is operating in a manner that is transparent, accountable, and responsive to legitimate complaints.
The Conference noted that 604,567 candidates qualified for placement this year, while 527,932 had been placed when the results were released.
It acknowledged that placement outcomes depend on several factors, including academic performance, programme choices, boarding or day preferences, and available spaces.
However, it stressed that students and parents should be able to understand how placement decisions are reached and have confidence that the process is demonstrably fair.
The conference has also raised concerns about the reported demand for money from parents seeking to secure SHS placements for their children.
According to the bishops, if placement is intended to be free, no official, agent, or intermediary should demand or accept payment in exchange for securing a school place.
It called for such allegations to be investigated and urged that anyone found to have engaged in wrongdoing should face disciplinary action and, where appropriate, criminal prosecution.
At the same time, the bishops cautioned against treating unverified allegations as established facts, saying honest public officials should not have their reputations damaged by claims that have not been properly investigated.
