A parent whose daughter remains without a Senior High School (SHS) placement says the frustration surrounding the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) process pushed him to consider paying GH¢10,000 to secure admission for her.

The parent, who works as a driver, said his daughter obtained an aggregate 9 in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) but had still not been placed in any SHS as of Friday.

Speaking to JoyNews’ Clinton Yeboah at the KTI Hall resolution centre in Kumasi, he said the prolonged uncertainty had left him desperate to find a school for his daughter.

He said he was initially directed to Presby Girls’ Senior High School after someone suggested the school because of his affiliation with the Presbyterian Church.

However, he said his daughter did not want to attend the school and that he subsequently began looking for an alternative.

According to him, the school his daughter preferred was also unavailable through the placement process, prompting him to seek help from someone he believed could secure a placement for her.

He said he was prepared to pay GH¢10,000 to secure the placement but was allegedly asked to pay GH¢15,000 instead.

The parent said his desperation had reached the point where he was willing to spend the money because of the difficulty he was facing in securing a school for his daughter.

He said he arrived at the placement centre at about 4:23 a.m. and was number 206 in the queue, underscoring the pressure on parents seeking to resolve placement challenges.

Alleged political affiliation

The parent also alleged that someone at the centre asked whether he was affiliated with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and whether he had a party card.

He claimed the person suggested that having an NDC card could have helped him secure assistance with the placement.

However, the parent said he did not want to politicise the situation, stressing that his primary concern was finding a school for his daughter.

Parents demand faster resolution

The experience is among several complaints emerging from the KTI Hall resolution centre, where parents and their wards have been seeking assistance with the CSSPS process.

Some parents have reported that their children remain without placements, while others say their wards have been assigned schools they did not select.

The affected parents are calling on the Ghana Education Service (GES) and other authorities responsible for the placement process to expedite the resolution of pending cases.

They are also appealing for improved communication and faster processing at the resolution centres to reduce the long waiting times and repeated visits.

For parents gathered at KTI Hall, the uncertainty over where their children will attend school is creating growing anxiety, with some saying they are unable to make the necessary preparations until their placement issues are resolved.