Up to 10% of places in top SHSs reserved for protocol – CSSPS

The Coordinator of the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS), Sherif Sulemana, has revealed that a maximum of 10 percent of places in Ghana's most competitive senior high schools are reserved for protocol admissions. In an interview on JoyFM’s Super Morning Show, Mr. Sulemana explained the distribution of this quota, using Aburi Girls’ Senior High School as an illustration.

This year, the school announced 800 vacancies, with half of the protocol allocation reserved for school heads. This constitutes 5 percent of the declared vacancies, equating to approximately 40 places. The total protocol figure for Category A schools is not fixed, but varies, averaging around 10 percent. Mr. Sulemana explained that the remaining 5 percent is distributed among other education sector stakeholders, including the Ghana Education Service (GES) and Technical and Vocational Education Institutions (TVET).

The exact allocation to these entities depends on the requests received. He clarified that unlike other allocations, the protocol quota does not receive a fixed amount and is allocated based on individual requests. Regarding the possibility of the protocol quota exceeding 10 percent, Mr. Sulemana stated that such a scenario had not yet occurred, as the system is relatively new.

He reaffirmed that the quota is not intended to serve as a loophole for candidates who did not earn their places based on academic performance. The Honourable Minister is committed to ensuring that placements are made based on merit, and the protocol quota is strictly adhered to within this framework.