The Member of Parliament for Akrofuom, Joseph Azumah, has condemned what he describes as deep-rooted corruption in Ghana’s Senior High School (SHS) placement system, following reports that one of his constituents paid GH¢30,000 to secure a school admission for their child.

Speaking in an interview on Asempa FM on October 21, 2025, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) legislator said he was approached by a constituent seeking assistance to gain placement for their child in a preferred school.

However, within a week, the individual allegedly returned with proof of payment made through unofficial channels to guarantee the child’s admission.

“Someone who knew I was an MP came to me at Community 16 and asked for help to get their child into a certain school. A week later, the person came back with evidence that GH¢30,000 had been paid to secure the placement. Why are we doing this to ourselves?” the MP lamented.

Mr. Azumah said he was shocked by the revelation, questioning why some parents were willing to pay such exorbitant sums for school placement. He warned that this growing practice not only fuels corruption but also deepens inequality in the education system.

“I asked the person — if your child goes to that school, will they automatically become an MP or president? Why sacrifice so much for that?” he quizzed.

The MP revealed that the child eventually gained admission, describing the outcome as troubling evidence of the systemic rot within the Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS).

“This is the kind of country we live in. It shows how deep the problem has become,” he said.

To restore public confidence, Mr. Azumah called for stricter oversight and supervision of the placement process. He proposed that District, Municipal, and Metropolitan Chief Executives (DCEs, MCEs, and MMDCEs) be allowed to delegate representatives to serve on monitoring committees to enhance transparency.

“I’m not saying they should interfere, but they should have representatives on the placement board for supervision and monitoring,” he suggested.

The Akrofuom MP warned that failure to tackle corruption within the placement system could erode public trust and damage the credibility of government institutions.

“Some of the things we consider small are the very issues that destroy governments,” he cautioned.