I only need one more year to fix school placement challenges — Haruna Iddrisu

Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu has appealed to parents and the public to give him one more year to address longstanding challenges with the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS), promising reforms that will make the process more transparent.

Speaking at the Government Accountability Series, the Minister acknowledged persistent concerns over Senior High School placements, admitting that inadequate infrastructure and growing demand have made it difficult to eliminate the challenges.

“You may have to give me another year, then I’ll be better off in resolving the school placement issues,” he said.

He disclosed that a committee has been established to review the placement system to ensure school admissions are based on merit rather than favouritism or political influence.

“We have had to set up a review committee of the placement system itself and to subject it to questions. Does it respect merit? And is it done on the basis of favouritism? And politicians taking advantage of it to reward protocol and not merit?” he stated.

According to the Minister, the government intends to introduce a more open and transparent placement process under which candidates will select their preferred senior high schools only after the release of their BECE results.

He further announced that the results of the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) are expected to be released on or before July 31, paving the way for the school placement process to begin.

He stressed that the release of the results remains the responsibility of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), insisting that he would not interfere in the work of the examining body.

“As I’ve always indicated as Minister, I don’t interfere with the work of assessment institutions of WAEC. It is within their domain,” he said.

The Minister added that the government is investing in expanding educational infrastructure through initiatives such as the Sustainable Development for Improved Access to Tertiary Education and Jobs (STAR-J) project to help address pressure on senior high school admissions.