By: Kenneth Appiah Bani
Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has announced plans by the government to expand the number of Category A Senior High Schools (SHSs) across the country as part of measures to improve access to quality secondary education.
Speaking on challenges within Ghana’s education sector, Mr. Iddrisu said the government will convert 20 Category B schools into Category A institutions.
He also announced plans to construct 10 new model Category A schools across the country.
According to the Education Minister, the measures are intended to expand opportunities for students seeking admission to top-performing senior high schools and ease pressure on the country’s school placement system.
Mr. Iddrisu also commented on the challenges associated with the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS), questioning the state of the education system he inherited.
“What advice should I seek from Dr Osei Adutwum when he left a despondent educational system?” he asked.
He further stated: “If Dr. Osei Adutwum did it better, then why are we here? We would not have been struggling for placement.”
The Minister added that Dr. Adutwum appears to have better solutions to some of Ghana’s educational challenges outside government than he did while serving as Education Minister.
“Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum seems to have better solutions outside government than when he was the Minister for Education,” Mr. Iddrisu said.
The planned conversion of 20 Category B schools and construction of 10 new Category A schools form part of the government’s broader plans to strengthen Ghana’s secondary education system and address concerns surrounding school placement.
The announcement comes amid renewed public discussions about the BECE, CSSPS and the need for reforms within Ghana’s education sector.
