The Ghana Education Service (GES) has officially commenced the 2025 Senior High School (SHS) placement exercise, successfully placing 483,800 students into secondary institutions across the country.

This figure represents 82% of the 590,309 students who qualified for placement, paving the way for the next phase of their academic journey.

The announcement was made by the Deputy Minister of Education, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, at a news conference in Accra .

He provided a detailed breakdown of the numbers, confirming that of the 603,328 candidates who sat for the 2025 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), 248,038 (51.4%) of those placed are females.

According to Dr. Apaak, 107,509 candidates (18.2%) who qualified for placement were not matched with their initial school choices due to intense competition for some Category A schools.

To address this, the Ministry has activated a self-placement portal to provide a second chance for these students.

The Deputy Minister confirmed that this year, the Free SHS Programme is piloting 70 private SHSs, which are now accessible through the portal.

This initiative expands the options for students and provides more opportunities for them.

“The private schools that have agreed to participate will receive government support equivalent to the fees incurred for students enrolling in public institutions,” he stated.

This pilot program, along with the 724 public SHSs and 233 technical and vocational institutions included in the placement system, offers a wide array of choices for students.

Dr. Apaak issued a stern warning against attempts to exploit the placement process, emphasizing that the exercise is "absolutely free." He cautioned parents and guardians against paying money to anyone, whether a state official or a third-party agent, for placement services.

“Let me take this opportunity to strongly reiterate that placement is absolutely free. The Ministry of Education cautions that anyone soliciting payment must be reported immediately to the nearest police station or to the Office of the Special Prosecutor,” he said.

He also announced that resolution centers have been established at the district, regional, and national levels to assist with placement issues, with the GNAT Hall in Accra serving as the national resolution center.

This year's BECE saw a total of 603,328 candidates, comprising 297,250 males and 306,078 females, from 20,395 schools across 2,237 examination centers.

In August, the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) released the results, but not without issues.

The results of 177 candidates were cancelled for malpractice, and the subject results of 718 others were also cancelled. WAEC further withheld the entire results of 93 candidates and the subject results of 1,240 candidates.

In addition, the subject results of some candidates from 119 schools were cancelled, while the subject results of some candidates from 87 schools were withheld for further scrutiny.

Dr. Apaak concluded by calling on all stakeholders to support the students.

“Whether placed directly or through the self-placement portal, you have a clear and secure pathway to continue your education. Let us, as parents, teachers and communities, support our students and ensure that this placement exercise contributes to their success and to Ghana’s progress,” he stated.