Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has announced sweeping reforms aimed at tackling the growing challenges in Senior High School (SHS) placement across the country.
Speaking at a press briefing on October 14, 2025, at the Ministry of Education, the Minister acknowledged the strain on the system, citing a staggering 393,000 qualified applicants vying for just 76,000 available placements.
“This is a near impossibility,” Iddrisu stated. “We are doing our best, but when the demand far exceeds the available spaces, it becomes a struggle to ensure fairness and equity.”
He emphasized the need to restructure the current categorization of senior high schools, which are grouped into Category A, B, and C.
According to the Minister, every parent naturally desires placement in Category A schools, but infrastructure in these top-tier institutions has not been expanded in recent months to accommodate the rising demand.
To address this, Iddrisu revealed a strategic plan backed by Mahama to reclassify schools beginning in 2026.
The initiative includes converting at least 10 Category B schools into Category A institutions and downgrading 10 Category A schools to Category B, all supported by infrastructure upgrades such as new classroom blocks, dormitories, and enhanced teaching and learning materials.
The Minister also expressed concern over regional disparities in access to top-tier schools. “In my assessment, regions like Northeast, Savannah, Oti, and Western North have no Category A schools. That is a major challenge,” he said. He pledged deliberate infrastructure investment in these underserved regions to ensure students are not disadvantaged in future placement cycles.
Iddrisu proposed selecting five to six Category A schools across key regions such as Central, Greater Accra, Ashanti, and the North to serve as flagship institutions, ensuring a more balanced national distribution.
However, he cautioned that successful implementation of these reforms would require substantial budgetary support. “We need the necessary allocation to make this vision a reality,” he said.