The Educate Africa Institute (EAI) has called on the Ministry of Education to take steps in the upcoming review of the Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) by abolishing the current Senior High School (SHS) categorization and adopting a regional-based placement model to ensure fairness and accessibility in Ghana’s education system.

In a statement signed by William Boadi, Executive Director of EAI, and Anthony Cobbinah, Director of Quality Assurance and Advocacy and Educational Psychologist, the organization emphasised that the existing categorization of SHSs into “A, B, C,” and other groupings has created “unhealthy competition and undue pressure among candidates struggling to gain admission into so-called Category A schools.”

EAI proposed that placement into SHSs should be guided by regional proximity, restricting candidates to select schools within their respective regions.

According to the Institute, this model mirrors educational practices in countries such as the United States of America (USA), where students are largely placed in institutions within their local districts.

Such a system, EAI argued, would foster community integration, reduce the financial and emotional burden on parents, and ensure fair access to educational opportunities across all regions.

“When reviewing the CSSPS, the Ministry should consider proximity by restricting candidates to select Senior High Schools within their respective regions,” the statement noted.

EAI also urged the Ministry to upgrade every Senior High School to meet one national standard, thereby rendering the existing category-based classification obsolete.

The Institute believes that equal upgrading of all schools will restore public confidence in the education system and motivate students to value every school equally, rather than fixating on a few elite institutions.

“Abolishing the current categorization system and ensuring that all schools meet one national standard will promote fairness and equal opportunity in the placement process,” the statement emphasised.

The Institute further observed that the fierce competition for placements in Category A schools has fueled examination malpractices and other unethical behaviours. By promoting regional equity and standardization, EAI believes that these issues can be significantly minimized.

“Implementing these reforms will not only promote equity and equal opportunity but also reduce examination malpractices driven by the desire to secure limited placements in top-tier schools,” the statement concluded.

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