Education Ministry backs Bishops’ call for CSSPS review, denies systemic corruption

The Ministry of Education says it will set up a technical committee to review the country’s school placement system, after the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference demanded an independent probe into alleged corruption in the process.

The demand

The Bishops’ Conference said in a statement on Monday that it was “especially troubled by allegations that parents are asked to pay money to secure places for their children” through the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS).

According to reporting by MyJoyOnline, the Conference called for an independent, expert-led audit of CSSPS with its findings made public, disclosure of the legal basis, scale and criteria behind discretionary “protocol” admissions, a faster and time-bound appeals process that prioritises cases involving sex, disability or medical need, and identification of the officials responsible for discretionary placement decisions.

The Bishops cautioned that unproven allegations should not damage the reputations of honest public servants. Separate reporting citing Conference figures put this year’s eligible candidate pool at 604,567, of whom 527,932 were placed.

These remain allegations relayed by the Bishops. Neither the Conference nor the Ministry has published evidence establishing how widespread “protocol” admissions or payment demands actually are.

The Ministry’s response

In a statement Tuesday signed by Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu, the Ministry said it “welcomes” the call for greater transparency and an “ultimate review” of CSSPS. It said a Technical Working Committee will be established once the current placement cycle ends, to examine the system’s components and recommend improvements.

The statement gave no timeline, membership, or terms of reference for the committee.

At the same time, the Ministry maintained that CSSPS is “fundamentally a merit-based system,” with merit “taking precedence over protocol” — an assertion offered without supporting data or independent verification, and one the review has yet to test.

On the corruption allegations, the Ministry reiterated that placement is free and that no payment is required to secure or change a placement. It urged anyone with “credible evidence” of officials demanding money to report the matter to law enforcement, saying complainants’ identities would be protected.

Context

Iddrisu has previously acknowledged difficulties with this year’s placement exercise. The Ministry’s statement is a partial endorsement of the Bishops’ demands rather than a finding on the underlying allegations — the extent of “protocol” admissions and the veracity of extortion claims remain unconfirmed pending the review the Ministry has just announced.

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