The immediate past National Coordinator of the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS), Mark Sasu Mensah, has called for a careful review of the decision to convert some Category A Senior High Schools from the double-track system to single-track, arguing that the development is contributing to the current pressure on the school placement system.
Speaking on Ahotor FM’s morning show in Accra on August 9, 2026, Mr. Sasu Mensah said although the double-track system had not been completely scrapped, some schools that previously operated the system had been returned to single-track, resulting in a reduction in their admission capacity.
He said the situation had become particularly challenging because of the high number of students competing for limited spaces in Category A and other highly demanded schools.
Mr. Sasu Mensah said the difficulties confronting the CSSPS were not entirely new, explaining that the system had gone through several challenges since the introduction and implementation of various reforms.
He said between 2017 and 2021, and subsequently from 2021 to 2024, several interventions were introduced to improve and stabilise the placement system.
According to him, consultants were engaged to make changes to the software used for the placement process, with the aim of addressing some of the challenges that had emerged.
He explained that the software belonged to the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Ministry of Education, and was intended to help stabilise the placement system and improve its efficiency.
Mr. Sasu Mensah, however, suggested that the transition from the old system to the new arrangements created additional challenges.
He said if the old software and systems had been properly maintained and handed over during the transition, some of the difficulties being experienced today could have been avoided.
Double-Track Provided Additional Capacity
The former CSSPS coordinator said one of the critical issues that must be considered in addressing the current placement crisis was the capacity of schools.
He explained that the double-track system was introduced partly because some of the country’s most desirable schools did not have enough infrastructure to accommodate the growing number of students seeking admission.
He cited Opoku Ware School as an example, explaining that a school with a capacity of about 900 students per stream could, under the double-track arrangement, accommodate up to about 1,800 students.
He said the double-track system therefore created additional capacity and allowed more students to access some of the country’s highly demanded schools.
According to him, the original idea should have been to use the additional capacity provided by the double-track system for a limited period while government invested heavily in infrastructure.
He proposed that government could have given itself between eight and ten years to expand infrastructure in the most desirable schools.
After the expansion, he said, the country could gradually return the schools to single-track without creating a major capacity crisis.
«“Let’s expand the infrastructure in the desirable schools so that we can increase capacity in the desirable schools. Then, when we have expanded the infrastructure, we can retain the single-track system.”»
Conversion of Schools Creating Additional Pressure
Mr. Sasu Mensah said converting some Category A schools from double-track to single-track without first significantly expanding their infrastructure could create additional pressure because the number of students seeking admission continues to increase.
He explained that a school which was previously able to admit a larger number of students under the double-track system would naturally have fewer places available when it returned to single-track.
He therefore cautioned against rushing the transition from double-track to single-track.
According to him, the current situation should be viewed from the perspective of capacity, demand and infrastructure, rather than simply as a problem with the CSSPS software.
He noted that a large number of students continue to select Category A and other highly desirable schools, while the available vacancies in those institutions remain limited.
Mr. Sasu Mensah said more than 300,000 students had selected Category A or other desirable schools, demonstrating the enormous demand for those institutions.
He argued that the solution should therefore involve increasing the capacity of schools that consistently attract the highest demand.
Five Percent Headmasters’ Protocol Could Ease Pressure
To provide immediate relief, Mr. Sasu Mensah called on the Ghana Education Service and the Ministry of Education to release the five percent protocol allocation available to heads of schools.
He explained that the headmasters’ allocation could help absorb some of the pressure by providing additional opportunities for students who may otherwise struggle to secure places through the main placement process.
He urged the authorities to release the protocol arrangements immediately rather than waiting until the pressure becomes worse.
«“Immediately, they should release the protocol for the headmasters so that they can also absorb some of the pressure.”»
He stressed that although the five percent allocation alone could not solve the entire problem, it could provide some relief while the broader challenges were being addressed.
School Selection Process Needs More Time
Mr. Sasu Mensah also raised concerns about the amount of time given to candidates to select their preferred schools.
He described the selection exercise as one of the most important stages of the CSSPS process and said students and parents must be given adequate time to make informed choices.
According to him, the selection period in the current exercise was too short and created unnecessary pressure.
He disclosed that approximately 20,000 candidates had not uploaded their school selections onto the system because they were unable to complete the process within the limited timeframe.
He said the situation should serve as a lesson for future placement exercises.
Mr. Sasu Mensah argued that authorities must give candidates sufficient time to select their preferred schools, verify their choices and complete the necessary processes before the placement exercise begins.
Need for More Sensitisation
The former CSSPS coordinator also attributed part of the current confusion to inadequate sensitisation of parents, students and schools.
He said many people may not fully understand how the placement and school selection process works, making it necessary for education authorities to intensify public education before and during the exercise.
He stressed that students and parents need to understand the consequences of their choices, particularly when selecting highly competitive Category A schools.
According to him, providing people with adequate information and sufficient time would help reduce some of the pressure currently being experienced.
Selection Must Be Properly Timed
Mr. Sasu Mensah further explained that the school selection process should be properly scheduled to allow authorities enough time to process the information before placements are finalised.
He said students should first be given adequate time to make their choices before the results and placement process are completed.
He argued that compressing several stages of the exercise into a short period could create avoidable technical and administrative difficulties.
He said adequate time would allow CSSPS managers to identify problems, correct errors and ensure that students are properly placed.
Policy Should Be Depoliticised
Mr. Sasu Mensah also appealed to stakeholders to depoliticise discussions surrounding education policies, particularly the debate over the double-track system.
He said political considerations should not prevent education authorities from maintaining policies that can help address capacity challenges.
He disclosed that he had engaged the current Education Minister behind the scenes on some of the challenges, describing the minister as transparent and an implementer of government policy.
However, he noted that the minister does not necessarily have the power to make every decision alone because some decisions require broader government and institutional approval.
He therefore urged stakeholders to focus on practical solutions rather than attributing every challenge to one individual or administration.
Infrastructure Expansion Is the Long-Term Solution
Mr. Sasu Mensah maintained that the long-term solution to Ghana’s school placement difficulties is to expand infrastructure in schools that consistently attract high demand.
He said government must identify schools where demand is significantly higher than available capacity and invest in additional classrooms, dormitories, dining halls and other facilities.
He argued that such investments would allow more students to attend their preferred schools without relying indefinitely on the double-track system.
He stressed that the double-track system could have been used as a temporary intervention while infrastructure was being expanded.
‘Let Us Not Rush the Transition’
The former CSSPS National Coordinator therefore urged the Ghana Education Service and the Ministry of Education not to rush the transition from double-track to single-track.
He said the immediate priority should be to reduce the pressure on the current placement exercise through the release of headmasters’ protocol slots, improved sensitisation and sufficient time for school selection.
In the medium to long term, he said government must invest in infrastructure at the country’s most sought-after schools.
He believes that with proper planning, adequate infrastructure and a more carefully managed selection process, Ghana can gradually move towards a stable single-track system without creating unnecessary pressure on parents, students and schools.
The Computerised School Selection and Placement System has over the years been used to place qualified BECE candidates into public Senior High Schools across the country. The system was introduced to improve fairness and transparency in school placement.
The current debate has intensified as thousands of parents and students continue to seek places in highly demanded schools, with stakeholders examining ways to reduce pressure on the system.
Story by Stephen Kwaku Owusu Mintah