SHS placement crisis: ‘We won’t take guidance from those who created the crisis’ – Apaak hits back at NPP

Deputy Education Minister Dr Clement Apaak has hit back at the New Patriotic Party (NPP) over its criticism of the government’s handling of the ongoing Senior High School (SHS) placement exercise.

Dr Apaak has rejected suggestions that the current administration should take lessons from the NPP on how to resolve the challenges surrounding the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS), arguing that the party bears responsibility for problems inherited by the current government.

His comments come amid growing frustration among parents and students struggling with placements for the 2026/2027 academic year.

Apaak fires back at NPP

The Deputy Education Minister’s response comes after the NPP accused the government of failing to deliver on its promise to reset the education sector.

NPP communications member Kofi Tonto recently criticised the government over the placement challenges, describing the situation at the National Placement Resolution Centre at GNAT Hall in Accra as an embarrassment. He argued that the difficulties confronting parents and students showed that the government had failed to deliver on its education promises.

Dr Apaak, however, has pushed back strongly, questioning why the government should accept guidance from a political party he believes contributed to the challenges now confronting the education system.

Thousands caught in placement bottleneck

The controversy follows the release of the 2026 CSSPS results, which has left tens of thousands of qualified candidates without automatic placement into their preferred schools.

According to the Education Ministry, 527,932 candidates had secured placement into SHSs, SHTSs and technical and vocational institutions out of 604,567 qualified candidates.

However, 76,635 qualified candidates were not automatically placed, largely because of intense demand for Category A schools.

The situation has triggered anxiety among parents, with hundreds converging on the National Placement Resolution Centre at GNAT Hall to seek changes, clarifications and solutions.

Reports from the centre indicate that some parents have faced long queues and repeated visits while attempting to resolve placement difficulties.

Apaak says the numbers tell a different story

Dr Apaak has maintained that the country does not necessarily have a shortage of spaces in the secondary education system.

Instead, he argues that the major challenge is the mismatch between available vacancies and the schools candidates most want to attend.

The Ministry says there are 859,828 declared vacancies across participating institutions.

However, Category A schools, which remain the most sought-after, had only 76,417 declared vacancies, despite receiving first-choice selections from 313,283 candidates.

By comparison, Category B schools had 250,366 declared vacancies, while Category C schools had 468,652.

Dr Apaak therefore says the current pressure cannot simply be described as a shortage of SHS spaces.

Parents demand urgent solutions

Despite the government’s explanation, the figures have done little to calm worried parents.

Some families have complained about being assigned schools that are far from home, while others have raised concerns about boarding and day arrangements that do not suit their circumstances.

The Education Ministry has urged affected candidates to use the self-placement system and consider schools and programmes where vacancies remain.

It has also expanded placement options through participating private SHSs, with 85 private schools joining the Free SHS programme for the 2026/2027 academic year.

Government insists it is working on the problem

The Ministry has assured parents that government is taking steps to address the outstanding challenges.

Officials have also established regional and national placement resolution centres to assist candidates and parents with genuine difficulties.

At the same time, the Ministry has warned parents against paying individuals who promise to secure or alter placements, stressing that the CSSPS process is completely free.

Political battle intensifies

The placement crisis has now developed into another political flashpoint between the governing NDC and the opposition NPP.

While the NPP is using the difficulties faced by parents to question the government’s management of education, Dr Apaak is pushing back by pointing to the structural challenges surrounding school demand, capacity and the legacy of previous policies.

For the Deputy Education Minister, the government is not prepared to simply accept criticism from a party he believes helped create the conditions behind the current challenges.

As the battle over the 2026 SHS placement exercise intensifies, parents and students remain focused on one thing — securing a place in a school where they can begin the next chapter of their education without further uncertainty.