CSSPS Placement Is Free: Free SHS Secretariat Official Denies Bribery Allegations at Kumasi Centre

The Deputy Ashanti Regional Coordinator of the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) Secretariat, Michael Owusu Baafi, has denied allegations of bribery at the CSSPS Placement Resolution Centre at the Kumasi Technical Institute (KTI).

Mr Baafi has assured parents and students that no payment is required to resolve placement-related challenges under the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS).

His comments follow allegations that some individuals at the centre have been demanding money from parents in exchange for assistance with school placement issues.

Mr Baafi urged parents and candidates not to give money to anyone who claims they can influence school placements or facilitate the resolution of CSSPS-related challenges.

He maintained that the placement resolution exercise is completely free, stressing that officials at the centre do not charge parents for their services.

He explained that while candidates may choose to print placement forms and other documents from facilities outside the centre, such services are optional and do not constitute any official fee for resolving placement concerns.

According to Mr Baafi, he has personally cautioned parents against dealing with individuals who demand money for placement assistance. He added that action had been taken against some people found engaging in such practices, including removing them from the centre.

He further warned that parents who choose to give money to such individuals do so at their own risk, reiterating that the Ghana Education Service (GES) does not charge parents for school placement services.

Mr Baafi also disclosed that officials at the placement centre have been making additional efforts to assist students beyond their routine responsibilities.

He said some officials have been using their own resources and available data to contact schools directly to secure placements for students whose cases require further intervention.

In some instances, he added, officials have personally funded the printing and forwarding of placement documents to schools to facilitate direct admissions, without demanding payment from affected families.

“We don’t take money here. If you give any money to anybody, it’s at your own peril. We are admitting students for free,” Mr Baafi said.

He therefore urged parents and candidates facing placement challenges to rely on official channels and report anyone who demands money in connection with the CSSPS placement resolution process.