According to the Minister, some of the affected students are believed to have obtained F9 grades in either Mathematics, English Language, or both subjects, making them ineligible for automatic placement under the existing criteria.

The Education Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, has explained that about 50,000 students who were not initially placed into senior high schools (SHSs) found themselves in that situation largely because they did not meet the required academic standards.

According to the Minister, some of the affected students are believed to have obtained F9 grades in either Mathematics, English Language, or both subjects, making them ineligible for automatic placement under the existing criteria.

Speaking on the issue, Mr. Iddrisu questioned whether the education system should abandon academic standards in an attempt to accommodate every candidate.

“The 50,000 students who didn't get placements found themselves in that situation because they failed. They probably got F9 in either Maths or English or both. Are we saying there should be no standards in our educational system? Ideally, there should be a cut-off.”

The Education Minister noted that, in previous years, students within that category would generally not have gained placement into the SHS system.

However, he explained that the government has introduced an opportunity for such students to self-place through the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) portal, giving them another avenue to secure placement where vacancies are available.

Mr. Iddrisu's comments come amid discussions over the placement of students following the release of the latest SHS placement results, with concerns raised by parents, students and other stakeholders over candidates who were unable to secure automatic placement.

The Minister's position highlights the government's attempt to balance access to secondary education with the need to maintain academic standards, while providing alternative opportunities for students who fall below the automatic placement threshold.

The self-placement option is therefore expected to provide eligible students who were not automatically placed with an opportunity to select schools with available vacancies through the placement portal.

Report By: Robicon Mornahson