CSSPS challenges require investment in infrastructure — Education Minister

The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has stated that the current challenges with the Computerised Schools Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) require investment in the infrastructure.

“We must invest more in education infrastructure, more classrooms, more dormitories, more laboratories, and improvement in the provision of learning materials and the quality of them,” he stated.

Mr Iddrisu stated this after monitoring the ongoing Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) at Sefwi Wiawso in the Western North Region.

Accompanied by the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Professor Ernest Kofi Davis, and other officials from the ministry, the minister toured some selected examination centres.

Addressing the BECE candidates, the minister announced that as part of efforts to improve the system, the CSSPS would now be manned by a technical committee.

He told the candidates that as part of new arrangements to ease the placement challenges, they would be given the opportunity to choose their schools after the examination results were declared.

Mr Iddrisu, however, gave the assurance that there would be a massive public education exercise for the candidates to understand what was required of them.

Monitoring outside Accra

Explaining his reason for choosing to monitor the examination outside the capital, Accra, he said he was in the area to wish candidates in rural areas the best of luck and to have a firsthand feel of what the experience of students outside the national capital had been.

The minister said it was also to do an assessment of the state of the country’s education infrastructure outside Accra, “and to appreciate same for guidance by government intervention to improve education infrastructure, to improve and ensure that learning materials are adequately available.”

Referring to the state of a classroom block being used as an exam room, not in the best of shape, he gave an assurance that the government would respond adequately to the infrastructural needs in the educational sector.

Words of encouragement

Addressing the candidates before the commencement of the examination, Mr Iddrisu told them that it was an assessment of their nine-year learning curve and therefore, “you should see it as a normal exercise.

They are just examining what you have learnt in the last nine years.”

He therefore urged the candidates to do independent work and avoid cheating, urging them to be guided by honesty and integrity.

He also advised the invigilators to remain professional throughout the conduct of the examination, adding, “We expect nothing short of the highest standard of integrity.” 

Rising crime

Mr Iddrisu expressed concern about the rising level of examination malpractice, which often resulted in the withholding and sometimes cancellation.

“Last year, about eight teachers were involved in facilitating cheating, and they have been dealt with in accordance with the law. About eight of them have been convicted and sentenced and they will be taken off the payroll of the GES,” he disclosed.

For his part, Prof. Davis also advised the candidates to do independent work and not to rely on any external support.

The DG reminded the candidates that there was no need for students to panic, fear or be anxious because the questions would definitely come from the syllabus or the curriculum.