Catholic Bishops Demand Probe Into SHS Placement

The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has called for an independent investigation into the Senior High School (SHS) placement process, citing allegations of bribery, unfair admissions, inappropriate placements and the influence of "protocol" arrangements. In a statement signed by Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, Bishop of Sunyani, the Bishops emphasized the need for transparency, accountability and responsiveness to genuine complaints in the placement exercise.

This year, 604,567 candidates qualified for placement, but only 527,932 were placed. The Bishops expressed concern over students being placed in unsuitable schools based on factors such as sex, disability, personal circumstances and location. They called for swift correction of placement errors and appropriate arrangements for students with disabilities.

The Conference also demanded investigations into allegations of parents being asked to pay for placement, stressing that placement should be free. They further urged for greater transparency in "protocol" admissions, warning that the system could not be trusted if parents believed that money, political connections or influence could secure places.

The Bishops reaffirmed their decision to reserve 20 percent of annual admissions in Catholic mission schools for Catholic candidates, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a meaningful population of Catholic students for religious and moral formation. They also called for the completion and signing of a long-awaited agreement between the government and Churches on the management of mission schools, outlining responsibilities related to admissions, governance, head teacher appointment, religious and moral formation, discipline, infrastructure and accountability.