By Charles S. Amponsah
Education Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, has announced plans to review the Computerised School Placement System (CSSPS), saying it is not serving the country well and has created frustration among parents and students.
The minister made the remarks during a visit to the Presbyterian Boys’ Senior High School (PRESEC) in Accra on Monday, October 20. The visit formed part of his efforts to assess conditions in senior high schools and understand the challenges faced by parents and new students.
“I have observed that some parents are unhappy and justifiably so. Some students are also unhappy because they chose a particular course such as science but were given general arts or business instead. That can discourage a child from giving their best,” the minister said.
He stressed that the CSSPS was not functioning fairly, noting that some students with strong results were being denied their preferred schools. “Nobody would accept that you get aggregate six and cannot get the school of your first choice. It cannot be explained unless protocols have pushed them out and that’s unfair,” he stated.
The Tamale South MP said he would establish a committee to review the performance of the system over the past decade and recommend credible alternatives to ensure merit-based admissions.
“The future will only belong to the youth if we adequately prepare them, and that begins with a fair and transparent placement system,” he added.
During his visit, the minister interacted with parents and students, inspected classrooms and laboratories, and acknowledged the contributions of old students and the Presbyterian Church to quality education in Ghana.
School authorities expressed appreciation for his visit and pledged to support government efforts to improve education delivery.
