The Education Ministry has discredited claims suggesting that the kingpin in Fourth Estate’s investigative piece “School Placement for Sale” is personnel related.
The documentary, as, evidence uncovered widespread deception in the Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSPSS,) had a woman named Rachel who was acting as a negotiator to alleged ‘big men’ at the Education Ministry.
However, Education Ministry’s Kwasi Kwarteng said it is untrue that she is a staff, but used to work at the Ministry’s canteen.
“The understanding that I have from Manasseh’s video is that she was a former worker with the Ministry where she used to work with the Ministry’s canteen, she was not even working for the Ministry per se, but a private individual working in the Ministry’s canteen,” he added.
Meanwhile, JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday revealed that, of the eight individuals who were arrested for acting as intermediaries for the Ministry, Mr Kwarteng said anybody could have acted as a staff in his firm to extort funds from parents.
“The Ministry of Education had rented a private facility at the GNAT hostel which operated as a resolution centre where we were serving the general public.
“It was possible that everybody could get in, establish the case, and advance the reasons why there has to be changing for his or her ward. Within this process, it is possible there could be a compromise.
“Somebody can also take your money and make a very strong case without even any officer taking money, but of course, the exploitation continues,” he added.
The spokesperson expressed his joy in the fact that the faces of these individuals were clear and believes the culprits will be able to expose the bad nuts at the Ministry.
In addition, Mr Kwarteng did not deny that there may be staff of the Ministry involved in the fraudulent act, but, neglected the current allegation tagging heads of the Education Ministry and Director General of the GES involvement.
The Minister of Education and Ghana Education Service are the only individuals with the passwords that give them access to place students in Grade A schools.
As such, after the investigation, many queried how the intermediaries were able to add names to the list of these schools.
Mr Kwarteng however, detailed that 90% of placement was done through automatic placement.
While 10% is then divided equally by the school and the Education Service, adding that heads of various schools can accept students to their institution and then send a message to the Service for approval.
