Isaac Kwame Amoah, Deputy Communications Officer of the Shama Constituency branch of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and Communications Officer hopeful, has called for urgent reforms in Ghana’s education system, particularly the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS).
He said the challenges surrounding BECE and the subsequent placement of students into Senior High Schools (SHSs) deserved serious national attention, as they affected students, parents, teachers, schools, the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
Mr Amoah urged stakeholders to move beyond partisan arguments and focus on what was best for the Ghanaian child, stressing that successive governments had faced challenges in the education sector and that every administration had a responsibility to identify problems and improve the system.
According to him, the challenges included inadequate school infrastructure, pressure on available spaces in SHSs, examination-related concerns, inadequate resources in some schools, teacher distribution and difficulties associated with the CSSPS.
He called on the government to pursue continuous improvement and practical solutions, rather than simply defending the existing system, adding that the effectiveness of any government should be judged by how well it identifies problems and addresses them.
Mr Amoah also cautioned parents against pushing children to write the BECE before they had completed the appropriate JHS level, arguing that premature registration could deprive them of adequate time to complete the curriculum and develop the necessary academic and emotional maturity.
He said parents should allow children to go through the appropriate learning stages and prepare adequately for the BECE, stressing that education should not be treated as a race at the expense of meaningful learning and sustainable academic development.
On examination integrity, Mr Amoah called for a stronger, independent and professional WAEC to protect examination questions from preparation through transportation, storage and administration. He also urged authorities to deal firmly with examination malpractice to protect hardworking students and restore public confidence in the examination system.
On school placement, he called for a system that was transparent, fair, efficient and student-centred, while urging authorities to properly educate parents and students about school choices, programmes, school categories, vacancies and the placement process.
Mr Amoah said solving the challenges required the collective efforts of the government, WAEC, GES, teachers, parents and students. He further stressed that an unsuccessful BECE result or SHS placement should not be regarded as the end of a child’s future, pointing to technical, vocational and skills training as alternative pathways to productive and dignified livelihoods.
Read the full statement below!
Education in Ghana: Fixing the Challenges Around BECE and School Placement
By Isaac Kwame Amoah
Deputy Communications Officer, Shama
The issue of education, particularly the BECE and the subsequent placement of students into Senior High Schools, is one that deserves serious national attention. It affects not only students and parents, but also teachers, schools, the Ghana Education Service, WAEC and the country as a whole.
As we discuss the current placement concerns, I believe we should move away from political arguments and concentrate on what is best for the Ghanaian child. Every government has encountered challenges within the education sector, and the responsibility of every administration should be to identify those challenges, improve what is working and correct what is not working.
1. The challenges inherited and the need for continuous improvement
Successive governments have faced challenges, including inadequate school infrastructure, pressure on available spaces in senior high schools, examination-related concerns, inadequate resources in some schools, teacher distribution and difficulties associated with the Computerised School Selection and Placement System.
The current government has also inherited these challenges. However, one important thing we must demand from the government is continuous improvement and practical solutions. The current CSSPS system provides students with placement and self-placement options where applicable, and the official 2026 platform describes the system as designed to match students with schools based on academic performance, programme preferences and available vacancies.
We should therefore judge every government not simply by what it promises, but by how effectively it identifies problems, addresses them and improves the educational experience of our children.
2. Parents must allow children to mature before registering them for BECE
Another issue that deserves attention is the practice of some parents and schools pushing children to write the BECE before they have completed the appropriate JHS level.
WAEC’s regulations are clear that the BECE is administered to candidates in the third year of Junior High School.
Parents must therefore understand that writing the BECE earlier does not automatically mean a child is academically stronger. A child who is registered prematurely may not have had sufficient time to complete the curriculum, develop the required skills or mature academically and emotionally.
This can affect examination performance and, consequently, the student’s chances during SHS placement. We should not sacrifice a child’s proper academic preparation simply because we want the child to complete JHS or enter SHS earlier.
My appeal to parents is simple: allow the child to go through the appropriate learning stages, complete JHS properly and prepare adequately for the BECE. Education is not a race; what matters is meaningful learning and sustainable academic development.
3. We need a stronger and more credible WAEC
The credibility of the BECE depends heavily on the credibility of the examination process.
We need a strong, independent, professional and firm WAEC that protects the integrity of examination questions from preparation to transportation, storage and administration.
Students must be encouraged to prepare through serious learning rather than depending on alleged leaked examination questions. WAEC itself has rules dealing with examination irregularities, including the posting of live questions on the internet and misconduct by examination officials.
If examination questions are compromised, the consequences go beyond the individual student. It creates an unfair advantage, undermines hardworking students and damages public confidence in the education system.
Therefore, anyone involved in examination malpractice—whether a student, teacher, invigilator, official or outsider—must be dealt with firmly according to the law and established procedures.
4. Placement must be fair, transparent and student-centred
School placement is naturally a sensitive issue because parents have expectations about the schools they want their children to attend. However, we must recognise that not every student can be placed in the same category of school, particularly when vacancies are limited.
The CSSPS currently provides a self-placement option for candidates who are not automatically placed, allowing them to select schools and programmes where vacancies exist.
What we should demand is a system that is transparent, fair, efficient and easy for parents and students to understand. Parents should also be properly educated about school choices, programmes, categories, vacancies and the placement process before submitting their choices.
5. Let us solve the problem together
This should not become a political contest. The child does not belong to NDC, NPP or any political party. The child belongs to Ghana.
Government must provide the necessary resources and systems. WAEC must protect examination integrity. GES must strengthen supervision and guidance. Teachers must prepare students properly. Parents must make responsible decisions. And students themselves must take their studies seriously.
If all these stakeholders play their respective roles, we can reduce many of the difficulties surrounding BECE and school placement.
Finally, a BECE result or unsuccessful school placement should never be seen as the end of a child’s life. There are many paths to success. A student who does not obtain the expected result can take time to prepare better and sit for the examination again where applicable, while others can pursue technical, vocational and skills training such as fashion, catering, carpentry, mechanics, electrical work, ICT and other practical fields. These skills can provide meaningful livelihoods and even create opportunities for entrepreneurship.
The goal should not only be to place every child in a particular school, but to ensure that every child has a pathway to a productive and dignified future.
My message to parents and students
To parents, I say: do not rush your children through the education system. Give them the time, preparation and support they need to succeed.
To students, I say: do not depend on leaked questions or examination malpractice. Your knowledge and preparation are your greatest assets.
And to the authorities, I say: let us continue improving the system so that every hardworking Ghanaian child has a fair opportunity to progress to the next level of education.
Education is too important to be reduced to partisan politics. Our collective goal must be to build an education system that is credible, fair, disciplined and capable of preparing Ghana’s young people for the future.
Isaac Kwame Amoah
Deputy Communications Officer, Shama
National Democratic Congress (NDC)
