The Ministry of Education has released the 2026 Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) results, with 527,932 candidates securing placement in Senior High Schools (SHSs), Senior High Technical Schools (SHTSs), and Technical and Vocational Institutions.

The Deputy Minister for Education announced the release, saying the placement exercise had been completed for 87.3% of the 604,567 candidates who qualified for placement.

A total of 623,072 candidates sat for the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), with 604,567 qualifying for placement.

The results were released at 10:00 p.m. on September 4, 2026, after which Regional and District Directors of Education were informed to assist candidates, parents and guardians.

The Deputy Minister said the number of candidates who secured placement reflected a mismatch between the schools they preferred and the vacancies available across the system.

According to the ministry, 313,283 candidates selected Category A schools as their first choice, compared with 176,614 for Category B schools and 123,577 for Category C schools.

A further 995 candidates selected participating private SHSs and SHTSs.

The ministry said the system had 859,828 declared vacancies, including 76,417 in Category A schools, 250,366 in Category B schools and 468,652 in Category C schools.

"The issue, therefore, is not simply the availability of spaces in our secondary education system. It is largely a mismatch between where vacancies exist and where candidates most strongly prefer to be placed," the Deputy Minister stated.

The figures mean that while a candidate may qualify for secondary education, they may not necessarily secure their preferred school or programme.

Candidates who were not automatically matched can now access the self-placement portal and select from schools and programmes with available vacancies.

The Deputy Minister encouraged candidates and their parents to consider the full range of available options rather than focusing only on highly subscribed institutions.

The ministry said 527,932 candidates had been successfully placed, comprising 276,521 females and 251,411 males.

The Deputy Minister also announced arrangements for candidates whose examination results did not meet the requirements for automatic placement.

The ministry said 57,259 candidates fell within this category. Of that number, 3,372 did not sit for the examinations, while 35,382 obtained a score of 9 in either English Language or Mathematics. Another 18,505 obtained a score of 9 in both subjects.

Candidates who obtained a score of 9 in either subject, or in both, will be allowed to access the self-placement system and select from schools and programmes with available vacancies.

However, the 3,372 candidates without results will not be placed at this stage. The ministry said they would be given a second opportunity to resit the examination.

"Our objective is to ensure that no young person is unnecessarily left behind while maintaining the integrity of the placement and examination systems," the Deputy Minister stated.

For the 2026/2027 academic year, 85 private Senior High Schools are participating in the Free SHS programme.

The ministry said the participation of the private schools would provide additional options for candidates, expand access and help reduce pressure on highly subscribed public schools.

Candidates undertaking self-placement have been encouraged to consider participating private schools alongside available public SHSs, SHTSs and Technical and Vocational Institutions.

The CSSPS has also been upgraded to include an admission portal, allowing parents and guardians to enrol their children and download admission forms without travelling to schools.

The ministry said the upgrade would reduce the cost and inconvenience associated with admission and enrolment.

Heads of schools have been cautioned against admitting or enrolling students outside the system. The ministry said appropriate sanctions would apply to heads who violate the directive.

The Deputy Minister reminded parents, guardians and candidates that school placement is free.

"No parent, guardian, or candidate should pay money to any individual, whether that person claims to be an official of the Ministry, GES, Ghana TVET Service, a school official, an intermediary, or any other third party, to secure or change a placement," the Deputy Minister stated.

"There is no legitimate protocol placement that requires the payment of money."

The ministry urged anyone who demands money in exchange for securing, altering or influencing a candidate's placement to report the matter to the Ghana Police Service or the Office of the Special Prosecutor.

The Ministry of Education has established regional and national placement resolution centres to address genuine placement challenges.

Parents and candidates have been advised to first seek assistance from Ghana Education Service (GES) or Ghana TVET Service offices at the regional level.

For cases requiring national-level intervention, the GNAT Hall in Accra has been designated as the National Placement Resolution Centre.