Features
Senior High School placement system fraught with corruption?
The Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) was introduced in the year 2005 after two years of piloting to replace the manual system which was so hectic and difficult to manage.
The objective of this computerized system has been to fully automate school placement process in order to reduce human errors and to promote efficiency and fairness in the selection and placement of students in the Senior High Schools (SHSs) in the country.
RAW SCORE AS DETERMINING
FACTOR
The CSSPS, uses the raw scores of candidates of the Basic Education Certificates Examination (BECE) as a determinant factor for the selection process. This is done automatically based on aggregate of the candidate including the choice of school and programme made by the candidate. For a candidate to qualify for placement, he or she has to satisfy the total raw score of not less than 200.
Placement is done on the basis of the vacancies declared by the schools and once these vacancies have been filled by the CSSPS in a particular school, it is unable to do any further placement. If a candidate’s aggregate falls within the merit of the programme chosen for the first choice, the CSSPS, then checks the student’s preferred residential status for space and places him or her accordingly. If the desired residential status is full, the system moves him or her to the second choice.
SIGNIFICANCE OF SCHOOL PLACEMENT
It is significant to note that work experience and student placement programmes are designed to provide the student with an opportunity to help develop positive insight, experience and skills that may assist him or her with future employment or to make informed decisions regarding his or her performed career choice.
Prior to the introduction of the CSSPS, placement of graduates in SHS, was done manually. Heads of SHS, would have to gather at regional conferences to go through records of individual candidates as presented by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) and their basic schools and hand-pick students’ performance cards and communicate feedback to parents and guardians, usually through school notice boards.
MANUAL PLACEMENT
In fact, the manual system of placement has its own challenges and disadvantages which are cumbersome in character. For instance, a parent whose child chose schools such as St Augustines College in Cape Coast in the Central Region, Ghana Secondary School in Koforidua in the Eastern Region and Tamale SHS in the Northern Region, in that order of preference, would have to travel all the way to those schools, just to find out which of them had selected his or her child. That to me was so stressful, herculean and difficult task to accomplish.
Besides, there were other weaknesses within that system such as school heads taking longer time to select students based on performance, difficulty of school heads giving equal attention to all candidates at the same time and rising cases of favouritism rather than on performance merit among others. The uncontrolled frustration of parents to the old system, motivated and encouraged the government at that time through the Ministry of Education (MoE) and the Ghana Education Service (GES) together with think tanks within the education sector to come out with the CSSPS as a way of minimising if not to eliminate the stress, toil and sweat of parents and guardians who were anxious to provide their children with good, credible and quality education.
ACHIEVEMENTS OF CSSPS
Indeed, the new computerised system ever since its introduction has stood the test of time and facilitated the placement of students in the Junior High level to that of the SHSs across the country. The Free Education policy by the government has also increased the level of enrolment from the basic to the SHS level, thus putting a lot of stress on the enrollment of students into the SHS and the tertiary education levels. The high level of enrollment has left in its trail difficult moments and brought about corruption and other serious malpractices within the school placement system. Among challenges raised by some parents and guardians was the fact that male students were placed in female schools and vice versa, students placed in day schools in locations far from their homes as well as the inability to successfully go through the self- placement process.
SHORTCOMINGS OF CSSPS
In fact, the CSSPS, has become fertile grounds for bribery and corruption among parents, guardians and officials managing the system in our dear country. The major challenge facing the system has been the human factor in terms of refusal of parents, guardians and students to accept placement into schools apart from their chosen endowed schools. There were numerous instances in which parents and guardians have thronged to resolution centres in the country, furiously protesting against the CSSPS which they claimed had denied their children and wards access to their preferred choice of schools, even though they believed their wards had made the grades. Most parents continue to criticise the system saying that it has messed things up just because their children could not be selected to their preferred schools.
BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION BY PARENTS
Aside all these challenges, some parents were ready to pay huge sums of moneys to officials handling the system including watchmen and security guards in an attempt to induce them to facilitate the placement of their children into the Category A SHSs such as Achimota School, Prempeh College, Pope John SHS, Opoku Ware SHS, Aburi Girls SHS, St Augustine College, Legon PRESEC Boys, among others. That is indeed outrageous and criminal in nature and should not be tolerated or encouraged whatsoever in our educational system.
Recent indications on social media spoke about the arrest of eight persons by the police following Joy News and Fourth Estate’s latest investigative piece “School for Placement for Sale” which uncovered widespread fraud in the CSSPS. The suspects have since been charged and arraigned before court. Investigations revealed that some parents paid up to GH¢20,000 to get their children enrolled in top-tier SHSs. In some cases, people paid as much as Gh¢10,000 to maintain a slot, according to the investigation. That case is pending before the law courts and, therefore, it is advisable not to comment further but to live it to the judiciary to determine the outcome.
CASE OF CORRUPTION PENDING IN COURT
While we allow the court to do justice to the case and bring the culprits to book in order to bring sanity into the CSSPS, it is equally important to call on the MoE and the GES to find ways of addressing the root cause of the problems that have brought about corruption within the system. The authorities must provide inputs in time to the least endowed schools and also upgrade the infrastructural facilities in these schools to make them more attractive to students. By so doing, the pressure on the highly-endowed schools will reduce as most parents are anxious to enroll their children in some of this grade A SHSs in the country. Besides, there is the need to revisit the policy of developing some of these SHSs in each region into model schools with all the modern facilities required in a standard second cycle schools.
ADVICE TO PARENTS AND GUARDIANS
It is equally important to caution parents to refrain from bribing the officials in-charge of the CSSPS to influence them to change the schools of their children even though they knew very well that they did not select some of these grade A schools as their first choice. Parents need to exercise maximum patience and allow the system to work perfectly since it is far better than the old manual system which was fraught with teething challenges. More importantly, officials working at the CSSPS secretariat must be circumspect in their work by showing diligence and be incorruptible in their daily activities.
The CSSPS is currently the best option for placement of students into the SHSs in the country and we must all support it for better results. Let us free the system of the eminent corruption in any form.
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By Charles Neequaye
Today, I focus on the Apostolic Church International in Finland, as I continue with my description of institutions and personalities and their accomplishments as members of the Ghanaian Diaspora in Finland.
The Apostolic Church International, Finland (or, Apostolic International Association Ry) was established in October 9, 2023. The Church in Finland has seen significant strides and accomplishments within the short time that it has been established in Finland, which must be highlighted.
History of the Church in Ghana
The Apostolic Church Ghana originated from the 1904–1905 Welsh revival, officially established in Ghana (then called Gold Coast) in 1935 following connections between a local prayer group in Asamankese (a town in southern Ghana), led by Peter Newman Anim, and the Apostolic Church, UK. There were historical splits in 1939 and 1953, but the Apostolic Church attained autonomy in 1985.
Today, the Church is headquartered in Accra. Last year (2025), it dedicated its new 10-storey headquarters, “The Apostolic Church Tower,” in Frafraha, Adenta West in Accra.
Activities of the Apostolic Church in Finland
The Apostolic Church in Finland conducts church service on Sundays. The service starts at 11a.m. in the morning and closes by 1 p.m. in the afternoon. There are no other activities during other days for now.
The Minister in charge of the church in Finland is also the Area Head of Italy Area. He is Pastor Daniel Kofi Addison who is the new Italy Area Head, and has just been transferred from UK South Area to Italy Area during the just-ended Council Meeting in March this year. Italy Area comprises Italy, which has 13 Assemblies, Germany, one Assembly, and Finland, one Assembly.
Elder Ebenezer Amoaning-Coffie is the Presiding Elder in charge of the Assembly in Finland. A Presiding Elder is responsible for day to day activities of the church (Assembly) and reports to the District Pastor, or in the absence of the District Pastor, reports to the Area Head.
Achievements
The Apostolic Church International, Finland was officially registered under the Finnish Law, guaranteeing freedom of worship and providing legal foundation for future growth. The church service is conducted in both English and Twi.
The church opens its doors to all people of every nation, especially Ghanaians who are in Finland and other African nationals. Now, the membership comprises Ghanaians, Nigerians and Sierra Leoneans.
The Church and the Ghanaian migrant community in Finland
The Apostolic Church in Finland plays a prominent role as a religious group that serves Ghanaian migrants and others in the Finnish society.
Thus, the Apostolic Church is a religious body for Ghanaian migrants in Finland and other nationalities who want to worship with them for diversity and better intercultural and multicultural understanding.
Elder Amoaning-Coffie said that the main and primary aim of the church is to bring people closer to God. “We aim to win souls for Christ. We aim to preach the gospel to the world. By propagating the gospel to the people, we are hopeful that they will turn away from any ungodly ways and be good individuals in the community and in society in general”, he stated.
He said that everything is going well so far. A key challenge, however, is how to get more members especially the youth. As a new Assembly, we are in need of instrumentalists, for example. We pray to God Almighty to help us do His work, the Elder disclosed.
Integration
By its activities, the Apostolic Church is helping to ensure integration of its members well into the Finish society. This is important since social interaction and citizens’ well-being are an important part of the integration process in Finland.
As I mentioned some time ago, the role of migrant associations and groups such as the Apostolic Church acting as bridge-builders for the integration and inclusion of migrants through participation in the decision making process and by acting as a representative voice is highly appreciated in Finland. Thank you!
With Dr Perpetual Crentsil
The landscape of the Ghanaian palate is shifting, and not necessarily for the better. In our bustling urban centres, from the streets of Accra to the suburbs of Kumasi, a quiet culinary revolution is taking place; one where the mortar and pestle are being replaced by the pizza oven and the deep fryer. This transition from traditional staple foods like fufu, banku, akple, kenkey, tuo zaafi, and ampesi toward “continental” dishes is more than just a change in appetite; it is a reflection of a deeper social struggle with identity and prestige.
The illusion of modernity
For many, “stepping out” for a meal has become synonymous with consuming foreign cuisine. There is an unspoken social hierarchy where a bowl of Abunuabunu is relegated to the village category, while burgers, pizzas are branded as prestigious choices. We have reached a stage where we equate foreign with modern and local with primitive.
This perception is a dangerous illusion. Our traditional dishes are marvels of culinary engineering complex, nutrient-dense, and deeply rooted in our history. When we choose a processed foreign import over a meal made from local tubers or fermented maize, we are not just changing our lunch; we are eroding the indigenous knowledge attached to our local ingredients and foods.
We need to turn the consumption of indigenous grains and tubers like millet, sorghum, and plantain into a statement of self-worth and national pride.
The cultural and health erosion
Every time a local dish disappears from a restaurant menu to make room for foreign fast food, we lose a piece of our cultural fabric. Traditional Ghanaian cooking is an art that requires patience and skill. By choosing the convenience of foreign fast food, we are raising a generation that may know the taste of a pepperoni pizza but cannot identify the rich, earthy profile of Prekese or the subtle tang of well-fermented dough dishes like corn porridge, banku, etew, abolo, agidi or kamfa, and kenkey.
Furthermore, we are at the crossroads of a nutrition transition. Replacing high-fiber, indigenous crops with calorie-dense but nutrient-poor foreign fast foods is driving a rise in lifestyle diseases such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, stroke, cancer, and liver disease. We are trading our longevity for 15-minutes convenience or unhealthy diet.
A call for culinary patriotism
It is time for us to appreciate, preserve, and promote our indigenous foods and culinary traditions. We need to be proud of our local dishes, ingredients and cooking methods, rather than relying heavily on foreign or imported foods. We must stop viewing our local delicacies as low-class and start treating our culinary heritage as the high-end gastronomy it truly is.
True sophistication does not come from imitating Western fast food; it comes from innovation and adding values to our own resources. We see glimpses of this potential in the rise of branded Sobolo and the creative use of gluten-free plantain flour in modern baking of flour-based dishes such as bread, cakes, biscuits and others. This is the path forward. We must elevate our local dishes, making them as accessible, affordable, presentable and trendy as any foreign alternative.
To the hospitality industry: Innovate or stagnate
Our hotels and high-end restaurants must lead the charge. They must stop relegating local dishes to the “traditional corner” of the buffet, and apply the same culinary finesse given to imported dishes to our Fante Fante, apapransa, aborbi tadi, fetritoto, akple, abolo, yakayeke, fufu, ampesi, kokonte, wasawasa, tubani, apapransa, mpotompoto, kelewele, aliha, brukutu, pito, and other local dishes. The industry must enhance customer experiences making eating local dishes the ultimate luxury experience for both tourists and residents alike. We must elevate the presentation of our foods by using modern plating techniques to show that a bowl of light soup can be as visually stunning as a French consommé. We need to reclaim our Ghanaian plate before it is too late.
To the policy makers: Let us encourage buying of local ingredients to promote the local food industry and economy. There should be educational programmes and talks about the nutritional and cultural benefits of local foods so that people understand their value.
We need to encourage serving traditional dishes at school programmes, parties, and celebrations instead of only fast foods,
To the Youth: Let us value and appreciate our traditional dishes instead of always choosing foreign foods. There must be balance in our choice of local and foreign dishes. Confidence in our culture encourages others to respect it too. Our local dishes can also be promoted by sharing pictures, recipes, and videos on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp to make them attractive and trendy.
Young citizens must learn from their parents and elders how to prepare local meals to keep the knowledge and cultural relevance alive. Local dishes can be modernised to appeal to younger generations and tourists.
Conclusion
We cannot afford to trade our heritage for foreign cuisines which are gaining grounds across the country at an alarming rate. We must disabuse our minds of the perception that anything foreign or imported is better than those locally made. Our health, economy, and identity are tied to the soil. It is time to stop apologising for our local flavours and start celebrating them. It is possible to embrace modernity without losing ourselves and our cultural identity. Let us make the Ghanaian kitchen the heart of our modern identity once again.
By: Marilyn Gadogbe
