Ministry of Education launches investigation into School Placement Bribery Allegations

The Ministry of Education has announced it is investigating serious allegations of bribery in the ongoing school placement process. The claims include accusations against Member of Parliament Joseph Azumah for soliciting and accepting GH¢30,000 to influence a student’s admission. Similar concerns were raised by the Secretary of the Ghana Trade Union Congress’s Construction and Building Workers’ Union.

Statement issued in Accra by Dr. Clement Apaak Deputy Minister for Education said the Minister of Education has convened a high-level meeting with National Security and has officially referred the allegations for urgent investigation. The Ministry pledges to uphold transparency and will take legal action against anyone found guilty of corrupt practices related to the Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS).

Authorities are calling for cooperation from all parties with credible evidence to ensure accountability and safeguard fairness in the education system.

Below is the full statement:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRESS STATEMENT

Date: 22 October, 2025

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION TAKES NOTE OF ALLEGATIONS OF BRIBERY IN SCHOOL PLACEMENT; INITIATES URGENT INVESTIGATIONS

The attention of the Ministry of Education has been drawn to media publications attributing allegations of bribery in the ongoing school placement process to the Member of Parliament for Akrofuom, Hon. Joseph Azumah, who is reported to have said:

“Someone who knew I was an MP came to me at Community 16, where I live, and asked me to help their child gain admission to a certain school. Within a week, the person came back with evidence showing that they had paid GH¢30,000 to secure the placement. Why are we doing this to ourselves?”

The Ministry of Education views these allegations — and similar ones recently raised by the Secretary of the Construction and Building Workers’ Union of the Ghana Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr. Richard Asamoah Mensah — with the utmost seriousness and concern.

Given the gravity of the claims, the Honourable Minister for Education, has convened a meeting with National Security and has formally referred these and other related allegations for urgent and thorough investigation.

The Ministry wishes to assure the public that it is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and fairness in the school placement process. Any individual found to have engaged in acts of bribery, extortion, or manipulation of the Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) will face the full rigours of the law.

The Ministry further urges Hon. Joseph Azumah, Mr. Richard Asamoah Mensah, and any other persons with credible information or evidence to fully cooperate with National Security to aid ongoing investigations. This collaborative effort is essential to uncover the truth and ensure accountability.

The Ministry remains resolute in safeguarding the integrity of the placement process and in ensuring that access to secondary education remains free, fair, and merit-based for every Ghanaian child.