The Ministry of Education is set to establish a Technical Working Committee to undertake a comprehensive review of the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) after the conclusion of the current placement exercise.
The move follows calls by the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference for greater transparency, accountability and an eventual review of the placement system.
In a statement signed by Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu, the Ministry welcomed the call and said the review would identify areas requiring improvement and strengthen the credibility and fairness of the CSSPS.
“Following the conclusion of the current placement exercise, the Ministry will establish a Technical Working Committee to undertake a comprehensive review of the placement process.”
The Ministry said the committee would examine the various components of the system and make recommendations to improve its efficiency and responsiveness to students, parents and schools.
“The review will examine the various components of the system, identify areas requiring improvement, strengthen transparency and accountability, and make recommendations to ensure that the CSSPS remains credible, efficient, fair and responsive to the needs of students, parents and schools.”
The Ministry also stressed that the CSSPS remains fundamentally merit-based, with merit taking precedence over protocol in the placement of qualified candidates.
“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.”
It further reiterated that school placement is free and warned parents and candidates against paying money to secure a placement or have an existing placement changed.
“The Ministry further reiterates that CSSPS placement is free. No parent or candidate is required to pay money to secure a placement or to have a placement changed.”
Parents and guardians who have credible evidence of officials or third parties demanding money in connection with placement have been urged to report the matter to the appropriate law enforcement authorities. The Ministry said the identities of complainants would be protected.
The planned review comes amid public concerns surrounding the 2026/27 school placement exercise, particularly regarding placement outcomes and access to preferred schools.
The Ministry has maintained that placements are guided by established criteria, merit and available vacancies, and says the post-placement review will help identify gaps and improve the system.
It reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that “merit, fairness and transparency remain at the heart of the placement process.”
