Thousands of students who missed out on placement into public Senior High Schools (SHSs) under the 2026 Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) have been urged not to abandon their educational ambitions.

The Conference of Heads of Private Second-Cycle Schools (CHOPSS) says accredited private second-cycle institutions across the country are ready to admit the 54,985 candidates who were not placed following the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

In a statement issued on September 3, the Conference said failure to secure a place in a public Free SHS institution should not be seen as the end of a student’s educational journey.

It assured affected candidates and their parents or guardians that private schools have the capacity to provide quality second-cycle education and support students in pursuing their academic and career goals.

CHOPSS said private second-cycle schools have long provided an alternative for students who could not obtain admission to their preferred public institutions.

It noted that before the introduction of the Free SHS policy in 2017, placement into public schools largely depended on cut-off points, leaving some students to seek opportunities in private institutions.

The Conference said many of those students went on to receive the academic support, training and guidance needed to improve their performance and compete effectively with students from public schools.

According to CHOPSS, several students who began their second-cycle education in private schools subsequently gained admission to tertiary institutions in Ghana and abroad, with many now contributing to national development across both the public and private sectors.

The Conference therefore encouraged the affected candidates and their families to consider accredited private second-cycle schools as a viable pathway for continuing their education rather than viewing the lack of public-school placement as a setback that brings their academic journey to an end.