Leader of the United Party (UP), Alan Kyerematen, has expressed concern over the persistent challenges surrounding Ghana’s Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS), questioning why the country continues to struggle with the process.

According to him, the challenges do not reflect the progress Ghana should have made after more than three decades of governance under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Speaking in an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Mr Kyerematen said he was particularly saddened by the difficulties parents face in securing placements for their children.

“How is it that in this day and age, we still have problems with simple computer placement? I am saddened,” he said.

He noted that many parents had made significant sacrifices to support their children through Junior High School (JHS), only for some of them to face difficulties securing placements despite obtaining good grades.

“Imagine some of these parents who have struggled to take care of their wards through JHS, and these children have been able to get good grades, aggregate 6, some 10 and some 12. Even if it is 15, they still do not get their first three school choices,” he said.

Mr Kyerematen said some students are instead placed in schools far from their preferred choices, forcing their parents to seek changes to their placements.

“Now they come for their schools to be changed and they are being asked to pay exorbitant fees, some GH¢30,000. Are we serious as a country?” he asked.

His comments come amid renewed concerns over the 2026 CSSPS exercise. The Education Ministry has said 527,932 candidates have secured placement, while 76,635 qualified candidates were not automatically placed, largely due to high demand for Category A schools.

The CSSPS portal currently allows candidates who were not automatically placed to use the self-placement option to select schools with available vacancies.

Mr Kyerematen also questioned whether the country’s reliance on a computerised system has delivered the fairness and efficiency that parents and students expect.

“Gone were the days we used to say, ‘Computer, no lie,’ but look at us now,” he said.

He called for urgent attention to the challenges confronting the placement system, particularly the impact on families who have invested heavily in their children’s education.