Catholic Bishops Call on Ghanaian Government to Audit Senior High School Placement System

In brief

The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference is calling on the Ghanaian government to audit the national senior high school placement system to ensure fairness, transparency, and accountability. In a statement signed by President Bishop Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi on September 14, the bishops expressed concern over recurring difficulties in the admission process that cause anxiety for students and parents.

The bishops requested that the government review the placement system, finalize the mission-state agreement, and protect the identity of mission schools. They also urged officials to end improper protocol arrangements, ensure openness in admissions, and strengthen the appeals process. While acknowledging government efforts to improve the computerized placement system, the bishops stated that effectiveness must include accountability and timely communication when errors occur.

The conference noted that of the 604,567 candidates who qualified for placement this year, 527,932 had been placed at the time results were released. The bishops committed to immediately implementing existing decisions regarding Catholic admissions into their schools, stating that merit and the well-being of the child should determine student placement.