Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu disclosed on JoyNews’ Newsfile that between 313,000 and 328,000 students applied for Category A Senior High Schools (SHSs), while only about 76,000 places were available.
This figure exceeds half of the total students on the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS), leaving roughly 55,000 students without placements and raising alarm among parents and pupils about their chances of admission.
Iddrisu acknowledged the problem but said the scale had been overstated. "I admit that we have a problem as a country. I am not interested in dealing with the symptoms; I want to deal with the real problems," he said.
He noted that 604,000 students are currently on the placement system, with 527,000 already placed—about 87 percent of those in the system, a figure he said could not be called a failure.
While vacancies still exist across the SHS system, Iddrisu conceded that many are in schools that may not be preferred by students and parents seeking quality education.
The Minister highlighted that demand for Category A schools is especially high, with 313,000–328,000 applicants competing for 76,000 slots.
To address underlying issues, Iddrisu announced a change to the CSSPS: students must wait until their exam results are declared before applying, allowing them to align choices with their performance and available places.
He stressed that the system still considers catchment areas and other factors, and that the government will focus on solving root causes rather than merely managing the backlog.
Iddrisu concluded that the majority of students have already been placed, but the fierce competition for Category A schools remains a key challenge in the placement exercise.
