The Ministry of Education has released the 2026 Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) results, with 527,932 candidates successfully placed in Senior High Schools (SHSs), Senior High Technical Schools (SHTSs) and technical and vocational institutions.
The Deputy Minister for Education, Dr Clement Abas Apaak, disclosed this at a press briefing in Accra on Monday, September 7, 2026.
According to him, the placement results were released at 10:00 p.m. on Friday, September 4, 2026.
A total of 623,072 candidates sat for the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), representing an increase of 19,744 candidates over the 603,328 who wrote the examination in 2025.
Of the 623,072 candidates, 604,567 qualified for placement, while 527,932 were automatically placed, representing 87.3 per cent of all qualified candidates.
The number of automatically placed candidates comprises 276,521 females and 251,411 males.
The Ministry attributed the failure of some qualified candidates to secure automatic placement largely to intense competition for Category A schools.
Data presented by the Ministry showed that 313,283 candidates selected Category A schools as their first choice, compared with 176,614 for Category B schools, 123,577 for Category C schools and 995 for private Senior High Schools.
However, available vacancies stood at 76,417 in Category A, 250,366 in Category B and 468,652 in Category C, out of a total of 859,828 declared vacancies.
Dr Apaak explained that the challenge was not necessarily a shortage of spaces, but rather the concentration of demand on a limited number of highly preferred schools.
“The issue is not simply the availability of spaces.
It is largely a mismatch between where vacancies exist and where candidates most strongly prefer to be placed,” he said.
The Ministry also disclosed that 57,259 candidates did not meet the requirements for automatic placement.
The figure includes 3,372 candidates who did not sit for the BECE, 35,382 who obtained Grade 9 in either English Language or Mathematics, and 18,505 who obtained Grade 9 in both subjects.
As part of measures to provide another opportunity for affected candidates, the government has decided to allow candidates who obtained Grade 9 in English and/or Mathematics to access the self-placement portal and select schools with available vacancies.
However, the 3,372 candidates without examination results will not be placed at this stage.
The Ministry said they would instead be given an opportunity to resit the examination.
To expand access and ease pressure on highly subscribed public schools, 85 private Senior High Schools will participate in the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) programme for the 2026/2027 academic year.
The Ministry has also upgraded the CSSPS with an admission portal that will allow parents and guardians to enrol their children and download admission forms without having to travel to individual schools.
School heads have consequently been cautioned against admitting students outside the official placement system.
The Ministry has established resolution centres at all Regional Ghana Education Service (GES) and Ghana TVET Service offices to assist candidates and parents with placement-related concerns.
The GNAT Hall in Accra has been designated as the National Placement Resolution Centre.
Dr Apaak further emphasised that the placement process is completely free and warned parents and guardians against paying money to individuals who claim they can secure or alter placements.
“No parent should pay money to any individual, whether that person claims to be an official of the Ministry, GES, TVET Service, a school official or intermediary, to secure or change placement.
There is no legitimate protocol placement that requires payment,” he said.
He urged members of the public to report anyone demanding money for placement to the Ghana Police Service or the Office of the Special Prosecutor.
Parents and candidates requiring assistance can contact the official CSSPS call centre on 055 037 7388, 059 952 5926, 059 844 5898, 059 797 4847 and 055 855 5431.
