School placement fraud: Man who posed as GES agent arrested

The Police has arrested a man who claims to be an agent of the Ghana Education Service (GES), at the school placement centre in Accra.

This comes on the back of an exposé by the Fourth Estate (Media) uncovering alleged fraud in the Computerized School Selection and Placement System – (CSSPS).

In the exposé, the irregularities that have flooded the CSSPS were uncovered in a video leading to the arrest of some persons.

The man who claims to be an agent of the GES, was arrested on Monday, 27 February 2023, after taking an amount of GHS1400 from a victim last Friday.

Speaking to Accra-based Citi FM, the man said: “I know this man [victim], I was here on Friday, then he wanted the replacement [placement] to be done, and I said okay, I can help him get the replacement[placement].

“There’s an amount of money he has to pay, then they give it [the placement] to him. “

He added: “Well he has given me GHS1400, 1400 and I said by the close of today[Monday]. I can help him get the placement.”

Meanwhile, Deputy Co-ordinator for the Free Senior High School (SHS), Nana Sika Mensah has urged parents to remain calm as there are enough schools to accommodate all prospective SHS students.

Speaking to Class News’ Jessica Akuah Ampim, the Deputy Co-ordinator for the free SHS said: “The vacancy can accommodate everybody, those who have not been placed so they should calm down, they’ll all go to school."

She further cautioned parents against paying persons to have their wards placed in schools as the exercise is entirely free.

“I want to caution all parents that this exercise or this activity that we’re doing is basically for free. They are not supposed to pay a dime to anybody.

“It’s free of charge and we’re not paying anything so they shouldn’t pay money to perpetrators or whoever will come to them that they can get them placement in their school of choice or anything, it’s free and we’re not paying anything.”