Ghana Police Arrest Two for CSSPS Placement Fraud as GES Issues Stern Directives to SHS Heads

The Ghana Police Service has arrested two individuals, Vicentia Appiah Antwi, 24, and Suzzy Owusu, 18, for allegedly defrauding parents and Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) graduates seeking senior high school placements. The suspects were apprehended at the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) Resolution Centre in Accra following a tip-off from the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu. The duo is accused of soliciting bribes ranging from GH₵9,500 to GH₵22,000 by promising to secure preferred school placements. While the suspects have been released on police enquiry bail, investigations continue to track down several named accomplices, including individuals known as Nana Yaw Boateng and Alex Asumani. The Ministry of Education has reiterated that the placement process is entirely free and urged the public to remain vigilant against such fraudulent schemes.

Simultaneously, the Ghana Education Service (GES) has issued a series of stern directives to heads of Senior High Schools (SHS) and Senior High Technical Schools (SHTS) to ensure a fair admission process. Signed by Deputy Director-General Prof. Smile Dzisi, the GES mandate explicitly prohibits school heads from imposing unauthorized charges or compelling parents to purchase items like uniforms and trunks directly from the schools. Furthermore, the GES has banned the practice of denying accommodation to boarding students based on the type of storage containers they bring, such as metal trunks or wooden chop boxes. The service emphasized that students must be treated fairly regardless of their economic background and warned that any school head found violating these guidelines would face severe disciplinary sanctions.

Amidst these enforcement measures, the admission process for the 2026/2027 academic year is progressing across the country. Reports from the Tsito Senior High Technical School in the Volta Region indicate a smooth reporting process, with students arriving with essential items to complete their formalities. Of the 604,567 candidates who qualified for placement this year, 527,932 have been successfully placed. To support this transition, several Members of Parliament and local assemblies have stepped in to alleviate the financial burden on families. In Nkwanta South, MP Geoffrey Kini donated over 200 trunks and mattresses to students, while in the Birim North District, MP Charles Asuako Owiredu provided similar supplies to 2,000 freshers. Similarly, the Kwadaso Municipal Assembly distributed mattresses and chop boxes to 120 graduates to encourage enrollment under the government's Free SHS policy.

As the academic term begins, officials are also focusing on the safety and professional environment of schools. During his donation event, Abirem MP Charles Asuako Owiredu issued a strong caution to teachers against engaging in inappropriate sexual relationships with students, emphasizing that educators must maintain professional boundaries to ensure a safe learning environment. This multifaceted approach—combining criminal prosecution of fraudsters, strict administrative oversight by the GES, and community-led financial support—aims to stabilize the secondary education sector and ensure that all qualified students can access their placements without exploitation or discrimination.