A total of 52,492 candidates have so far done self-placement into second cycle schools under the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS). 

This brings the number of candidates placed so far to 534,672.

At the commencement of the exercise on September 17, 2025, 483,800 candidates were placed into senior high schools (SHSs) and technical institutions.

The Ghana Education Service (GES) consequently set up resolution centres across the regions to address concerns of candidates who had issues with their placements.

As of last Friday, the centres had received 9,000 complaints, with the Greater Accra centre recording the highest number of 4,000 complaints, with the rest spread across the other regions.

The complaints, according to officials, have largely to do with the change of school, with about 76 per cent of candidates requesting a change from categories 'B' and 'C' to category 'A' schools.

Space

"The difficulty is that there are limited spaces in Category 'A' schools, which have been filled up. Again, a candidate placed in a particular school cannot be changed except under circumstances of health grounds or relocation," the Head of Public Relations of the GES, Daniel Fenyi, told the Daily Graphic.

Mr Fenyi indicated that the other major issue had to do with the change of residence from day to boarding.

Again, he said, residence status was not allowed except in cases of distance, health or relocation.

"For instance, where a candidate is placed from Wa to Tamale as a day student, we are compelled to change the residence to boarding.

"Another issue is no-placement, which is being resolved through self-placement and placement into the private schools," the GES Head of Public Relations 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’s BECE was taken by 603,328 candidates, made up of 297,250 males and 306,078 females, from 20,395 schools across 2,237 examination centres.

In August this year, the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) released the results of the 2025 BECE, with more than 600,000 students up for placement in senior high, technical and vocational schools.

WAEC released the results of about 600,000 candidates who took part in the examination, except the results of 177 candidates, which were cancelled for malpractice and 718 others whose subject results were also cancelled.

The council also withheld the entire results of 93 candidates and the subject results of 1,240 candidates.

Moreover, 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.