Awudu Ishaq, PNC General Secretary, says Ghana’s persistent challenges with the senior high school placement system are largely self-inflicted and could have been addressed over the years.
The country has long been aware that school placement is a structural problem, yet successive efforts have failed to completely address the weaknesses that continue to affect students and their families.
Speaking to Isaac Addae on Morning Starr on Starr FM, Mr Ishaq said Ghana must be honest about the challenges confronting the placement system instead of pretending that the problem cannot be fixed.
He recalled his family’s experience with the former manual placement system, which he said subjected his younger sister and the family to significant difficulties.
He explained that in 2001, his sister, who wanted to study science at St. Francis of Assisi Senior High School in the Upper West Region, had obtained a Grade 7 but was instead placed at Suhum Islamic Girls’ Senior High School after her placement card was taken to Suhum.
Mr Ishaq said his sister was disappointed because she had wanted to attend Assisi, while the family also faced difficulties travelling from Wa to Suhum to retrieve her placement card.
“My father was a poor man. How to even get transport to travel all the way from Wa to Suhum to retrieve the card was a problem.”
He said the family eventually had to find someone to travel to Suhum, retrieve the card and return with it to the Upper West Region so they could pursue the admission they wanted.
According to him, the experience was just one example of the difficulties many families encountered under the manual placement system.
Mr Ishaq said although the introduction of the Computerised School Selection and Placement System was intended to reduce the human element in placements, he believes human interference remains a concern.
“Computerised means we are trying to remove the human element,” he said.
He argued that the system can still be manipulated when people in positions of authority have access to influence placements.
Mr Ishaq referred to reports that have previously pointed fingers at ministers responsible for education and Director-Generals of the Ghana Education Service over alleged manipulation of the placement system to favour certain individuals.
He stressed that the issue should not be blamed on one political administration, insisting that it cuts across successive governments.
“This is not exclusive to one regime or to one government,” he said.
He questioned the rationale behind giving certain officials access to the placement system if the objective of computerisation was to eliminate human interference.
According to him, the continued involvement of officials, including Free Senior High School coordinators and the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, means the human interface has not been completely removed.
He said Ghana must therefore take deliberate steps to reduce human intervention and ensure that the placement process is transparent and fair to all students.
Mr Ishaq maintained that the country cannot continue to ignore the weaknesses in the system while parents and students struggle with placement-related challenges.
He called for a more honest assessment of the system and reforms that would prevent individuals from using their positions or influence to manipulate student placements.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh/Pamela Quayson
