Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has appealed to parents and the public to give him another year to address persistent challenges affecting the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS), promising reforms aimed at making the process more transparent and merit-based.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series, the Minister acknowledged that Senior High School (SHS) placement has remained a major concern due to increasing demand for secondary education and limited infrastructure capacity.
“You may have to give me another year, then I’ll be better off in resolving the school placement issues,” Mr Iddrisu said.
He explained that the government has set up a committee to review the current placement system and assess whether it adequately promotes fairness, merit and equal opportunity for all students.
“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.
The Minister said the review is expected to help eliminate concerns over alleged political influence and ensure that students are placed in schools based on their academic performance and genuine preferences.
Mr Iddrisu further announced plans to introduce changes that will allow candidates to select their preferred senior high schools after the release of their Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results, describing the move as part of efforts to make the process more open and accountable.
He also revealed that the 2026 BECE results are expected to be released by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) on or before July 31, after which the placement process will commence.
The Minister stressed that WAEC remains solely responsible for conducting assessments and releasing examination results, adding that he would not interfere in the institution’s mandate.
“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.
Mr Iddrisu added that government is also working to expand educational infrastructure through initiatives such as the Sustainable Development for Improved Access to Tertiary Education and Jobs (STAR-J) project to ease pressure on SHS admissions and improve access to quality education.
