Government to Upgrade 20 Category B Schools to Category A, Build 10 New Model Schools

Education Ministry moves to ease pressure on school placement system with $300 million World Bank support

The government is set to upgrade 20 Category B Senior High Schools to Category A status as part of efforts to create more opportunities for students seeking admission to the country’s most sought-after schools.

Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu also announced plans to construct 10 new model Category A schools, bringing the number of institutions targeted for Category A status to 30.

The move is intended to ease the pressure on the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS), particularly the intense competition for limited vacancies in Category A schools.

Mr Iddrisu said the government had secured $300 million from the World Bank through the STARR-J initiative to support the infrastructure expansion. He further disclosed that he had directed GETFund to dedicate between GH¢250 million and GH¢300 million in the 2027 funding formula to expand facilities in 10 Category A schools.

Speaking on TV3 on September 11, he said, “We are going to convert 20 Category B schools into A and we will build 10 new model Category A schools in the country.”

The Minister said the upgrade was necessary because demand for Category A schools had outpaced available capacity following the introduction of Free SHS.

The Tamale South MP cited the 2026 placement exercise, during which 328,000 students selected Category A schools but only 76,000 vacancies were available, creating a significant mismatch.

He argued that expanding the number and capacity of Category A schools would help address the problem while accommodating the growing number of students entering the secondary education system.