A total of 52,492 candidates have successfully completed self-placement into second-cycle schools using the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS). This brings the overall number of candidates placed so far to 534,672. The placement process began on September 17, 2025, with 483,800 candidates placed into senior high schools (SHSs) and technical institutions.
To address concerns from candidates regarding their placements, the Ghana Education Service (GES) established resolution centers in various regions. As of last Friday, these centers had received 9,000 complaints, with the Greater Accra center reporting the highest number at 4,000. The remaining complaints are distributed across the other regions. Officials noted that most complaints relate to requests for a change of school, with approximately 76 percent of candidates seeking to move from categories ‘B’ and ‘C’ to category ‘A’ schools.
Space
“The challenge is that there are limited spaces available in Category ‘A’ schools, and these have already been filled. Additionally, once a candidate is placed in a particular school, they cannot change schools unless there are valid health grounds or a relocation. Daniel Fenyi, the Head of Public Relations for the GES, explained to the Daily Graphic that another significant issue involves changing a student’s status from day student to boarding student.
This change is only allowed in cases of distance, health issues, or relocation. For example, if a candidate is placed as a day student from Wa to Tamale, they are required to change their status to boarding. Furthermore, the issue of no placement is currently being addressed through self-placement and placement options in private schools,” Mr Fenyi emphasised.
Re-entry
Mr Fenyi said re-entry candidates, which refers to students who completed basic education in previous years but did not take up the placement opportunity at the time of their completion, would also be placed. “This comprises qualified candidates from the last three years — 2024, 2023 and 2022 — who could not be placed and want to go to second cycle schools this year,” he said.
Mr Fenyi said issues at the centres were being resolved to reduce and ease the concerns. “We expect to resolve issues before students report to school. “Parents must remain calm and resist paying money to have their issues resolved. Anybody demanding money for placement or changing of school should be reported. We are committed to addressing all issues and ensuring that our children and younger siblings have a smooth placement into second-cycle schools,” he said.
The initial 483,800 candidates, who were successfully placed into SHSs, senior high technical schools (SHTS), and technical and vocational institutions (TVIs) on September 17, 2025, represented 82 per cent of the 590,309 candidates who qualified for placement out of the 603,328 students who took the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) this year.
This year, the Free SHS Programme is piloting 70 private SHSs, all of which are now accessible through the portal, providing more opportunities for students.
In addition to the 70 private SHSs, the placement programme covers 724 public SHSs and SHTSs, and 233 technical and vocational institutes. Meanwhile, parents whose children have issues continue to throng the resolution centres to address their challenges.
One parent, Stephen Badu, told the Daily Graphic that he had gone to the centre at the Ghana National Association of Teachers Hall for a change of school. He explained that without his consent, his niece had done self-placement, which had resulted in her being placed in a school outside Accra.
Meanwhile, he said, he wanted a day school in Accra so that she could commute from home daily. “When we asked her, she said her friend told her to select the school in the Eastern Region. So, that’s why we have come here,” Mr Badu said. All placed students are to report to school on October 18, 2025.
Background
This year, the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) was taken by a total of 603,328 candidates, consisting of 297,250 males and 306,078 females. These candidates came from 20,395 schools and participated at 2,237 examination centers.
In August, the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) released the results for the 2025 BECE, which included over 600,000 students eligible for placement in senior high, technical, and vocational schools. The results reported by WAEC covered approximately 600,000 candidates who sat for the examination. However, the results of 177 candidates were canceled due to malpractice, and 718 others had their subject results canceled.
Additionally, WAEC withheld the complete results of 93 candidates and the subject results of 1,240 candidates. Furthermore, the subject results of some candidates from 119 schools were canceled, while the subject results of candidates from 87 schools were withheld for further scrutiny.
Source: Emmanuel Bonney
