CSSPS: 95% of 2023 JHS graduates successfully placed – Yaw Adutwum
Education Minister, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum has admitted that the school placement continued to face challenges; but this year’s edition recorded the highest in the country.
However, the Education Ministry was able through the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) placed 95% of 2023 Junior High School graduates into various senior high schools in the country.
Addressing members of the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs in Kumasi, Dr Adutwum stated that 81% of students were automatically placed into their selected schools with 19% depending on self-placement.
The meeting was to give an account of his achievement as the sector minister responsible for education to the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs General Meeting. In attendance were the members of the Kumasi Traditional council, members of the Regional House of Chiefs and Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Live patron of the Ashanti regional house of Chiefs.
The Education minister, Dr Osei Yaw Adutwum, disclosed that, enrollment made this year has become the highest recorded since the introduction of the Senior High school placement system.
The Minister used the occasion to address several issues concerning education including the challenges with the 2023 SHS placement.
He admitted challenges facing the system, but said 95% of JHS graduates have been successfully placed into various schools.
“We have boast the Senior High School placement system this year. Over the years when we released the results you noticed that about 30 percent of the applicants do not get schools and they have to do self-placement. This year the narrative is different. We were able to do about 81% automatic placement and these are students who received automatic placement of their choice and they were only left with about 19% of students who had to go to the portal to look for a school. In fact there has been a vast improvement. Currently we have been able to place about 95% of all qualified students as a major accomplishment this year’’ he noted.
He added” we are now doing the enrollment and the numbers attest to the fact that we have more students going to school this year than years gone past. Yes there are challenges every year but we are making an effort in addressing them. That’s why this year has seen more improvement and the complaint level has increased significantly ’’ he stressed.
Touching on head teachers who have been indicted for importing unproved materials into student prospectus list the minister said ”The regional directors made the determination that they should step aside. I can’t make a pre-judgment statement now as the minister of Education. Headmasters work so hard for us. They are determined and committed so when issues like this happen we have to approach it with an open mind so I will leave the issue to the process that they have created to give them a fair hearing,’’ assured.
The Asantehene Otumfour Osei Tutu II admonished chiefs to inspect the educational infrastructure and its progress in their communities.
He also commended the education minister on his achievements so far.” During our earlier meeting I asked Nananom if you are in the know of the ongoing government education policies and other infrastructural projects within your localities. Because I wanted to know if you understand the STEM education project under implementation. Today’s meeting with the Education minister Dr. Osei Yaw Adutum has given us a clear idea about the entire project and I must admit it’s a very good project and I commend him for the good job done so far. Now we know how far he has taken our education sector to’’ he said.
Otumfuo however, encouraged Nananom to follow up on government education projects currently going on in their localities to monitor progress of work on site. “ The minister has told us that the Science Technology school they will bring to Ashanti when they start I want you to monitor when they start. You already have a fair idea of how the project will look like. You have the responsibility to support successful execution of the project’’ Otumfuo told the Chief.
Otumfuo in a proverbial statement admonished the Bosomtwe Member of Parliament to always remember home “Asante” in all his activities as minister of education.
“If you will recall, I have always told you that if God assigns you to fix people’s eyes, always remember to fix your first before you consider others. We will always pray for success in the sector entrusted to your care’’ Otumfuo stressed.
