SHS placement crisis deepens as Catholic Bishops demand probe into ‘protocol’ admissions

The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference is putting pressure on the government to conclude and sign the long-discussed agreement between the state and Churches on the management of mission schools. The Bishops say the agreement is needed to clearly define responsibilities for admissions, governance, appointment of head teachers, religious and moral formation, discipline, buildings and accountability. They also want the agreement to guarantee an appropriate role for founding Churches in protecting the distinct identity of their schools.

The call comes amid growing concerns over the Computerised School Selection and Placement System and the difficulties parents and students face during the placement process. The Bishops said Catholic and other Christian schools were established by Churches long before the modern state assumed responsibility for universal education. They stressed that while government has a legitimate duty to ensure fair access to education, founding Churches also have a legitimate interest in preserving the religious character, values, discipline and educational vision of their schools.

The Conference said it had already resolved at its 2025 National Catholic Education Forum in Koforidua that 20% of admissions to Catholic mission schools should be reserved annually for Catholic candidates. “This is therefore not a fresh proposal but a call for the implementation of a decision already taken,” the Bishops said. They explained that the arrangement would allow the Churches to maintain a sufficient number of students who can participate in the religious and moral formation central to the schools’ purpose.

The Bishops, however, stressed that the arrangement must not become a channel for corruption or favouritism. They said it should be administered transparently through the proper Boards of Governors and diocesan education offices, subjected to annual audit, and strictly prohibit any exchange of money. The Conference said it was particularly concerned by complaints surrounding this year’s placement exercise.

Of the 604,567 candidates who qualified for placement, 527,932 had been placed by the time the results were released. The Bishops said complaints that some students had been placed in schools unsuited to their sex, disability, circumstances or location must be addressed. They also raised concerns about allegations that parents are being asked to …

The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has called for a full review of Ghana’s senior high school placement system, demanding transparency over alleged “protocol” admissions into sought-after schools. The Bishops want the government to disclose the legal basis for any discretionary admissions arrangements, the number of places involved, the criteria used and those responsible for the process. They said the growing concerns around the Computerised School Selection and Placement System risk undermining public confidence in the fairness of admissions.