By Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
Tensions ran high at the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) Hall in Accra on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, as hundreds of parents and their wards crowded the venue to seek answers over challenges with this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) placement.
Parents, many accompanied by their children, voiced frustration over misplaced placements, errors in the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS), and the stress of navigating long queues with little information provided.
Some families complained of students being assigned to schools far from their preferred locations, while others said their wards had not been placed at all despite meeting the required grades.
“I came here to change the school that the system gave to my son. Since we got here, the queue has just been overwhelming,” said Daniel Lartey, a parent who spoke to Citi News.
“My ward got St. Fidelis SHS—I don’t even know where that school is located. We wanted a day school closer to us. With the pace at which the queue is moving, I doubt they will be able to attend to us today. Even with the one-week timeline they gave, I don’t see how they can handle all these cases.”
Parents also accused the placement system of unfairly disadvantaging some students, calling for greater transparency and accountability from the Ghana Education Service (GES).
While the CSSPS is designed to streamline school placements, this year’s exercise has once again triggered frustration, echoing past concerns about equitable access to senior high school education.
For many of the anxious families at GNAT Hall, the overriding concern is simple: securing their children’s future in a system they feel is struggling to deliver fairness and clarity.
