Parents frustrated over school placement challenges

Frustrated parents, guardians and students thronged the national resolution centre of the senior high school (SHS) computer placement process in Accra yesterday, seeking the resolution of different challenges following this year’s placement exercise.

The challenges presented were mainly about students not being placed by the computer system at all, or being placed in schools they did not choose.

There were also complaints about students who chose to be day students but were offered the boarding option, and vice versa.

Some day students raised concerns about placements far from their places of residence.

With about 500 people within the resolution centre at the beginning of working hours, officials took students and parents through the painstaking process in a relatively orderly manner until after 5 p.m.

Assurance

The Deputy Minister of Education, Dr Clement Abas Apaak, who visited the national resolution centre to assess the complaints resolution process, assured parents, guardians and students that the challenges would be resolved before the reopening date of October 18, 2025.

He said the ministry anticipated some challenges with the placement system and, therefore, factored that into the scheduling of the reopening date to allow enough time for the issues to be addressed.

“We acknowledge that not everyone has been placed in his or her school of choice, but we are committed to ensuring that every child is placed in a school that will serve their educational needs,” he said.

Demand for Grade A schools

Dr Apak explained that demand for Grade A schools continued to exceed available spaces.

“It is not possible that everyone will get the school of their choice, particularly in the Grade A schools, because the numbers seeking those schools far exceed the available slots,” he said.

He, however, said other schools across the country were equally important and capable of meeting the academic aspirations of students.

“I came here to see first-hand how the centre is functioning, the concerns being raised by parents and students, and how effectively the resolution team is responding to them,” he said.

“Even if we are not able to solve every single problem, we will solve the majority of them.

By the time students are expected to report on October 18, these issues will have been resolved,” he said.

Complaints

Despite assurances from the Ministry of Education, some parents and students who had gathered at the centre expressed frustration with the placement process.

A student, Sarah Appiah, said she was placed at Abease State College, a day school in Cape Coast, and was not satisfied with the choice.

Another student, Evelyn Kwafie, said she had selected only day schools but was admitted to St Fidelis Secondary Technical/Vocational School in Kwahu, a boarding school too far from her residence in Accra.

A parent, Kolog Boar, said he requested a girls’ day school for his daughter, but she was placed in Obuasi Secondary/Technical School, a mixed boarding school.

Another parent, a resident of Accra, said his daughter, who had health issues, was placed in a school outside Accra.

A pastor, who preferred not to be named, said his ward was placed at St John’s Grammar School as a day student, but due to his transfer to Kumasi, he wanted her to be placed in a boarding school in the Eastern Region.