More than 54,000 candidates who obtained Grade 9 in English Language or Mathematics in the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) have been given another opportunity to secure admission to Senior High School (SHS) through the self-placement process.
The Ministry of Education has clarified that the affected 54,000 BECE candidates have not been permanently denied access to secondary education.
The clarification follows concerns among candidates and parents after the release of the 2026 Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) results.
Candidates can use self-placement
According to the Ministry of Education, candidates who obtained Grade 9 in either English Language or Mathematics, or in both subjects, can participate in the self-placement exercise.
Deputy Minister for Education, Dr Clement Apaak, explained that the affected candidates remain eligible to continue their education and should not panic over their inability to secure automatic placement.
Instead, they can use the self-placement platform to select schools with available vacancies.
The Ministry is encouraging eligible candidates to take advantage of the opportunity and continue their education journey.
More than 500,000 candidates already placed
The Ministry of Education says more than 500,000 qualified candidates have already been placed automatically through the CSSPS.
However, thousands of candidates who did not receive automatic placement are expected to use the self-placement option to identify schools with available spaces.
The development is expected to provide relief to many parents and candidates who were initially worried about their SHS placement status.
What should affected BECE candidates do?
Candidates who fall within the affected group are encouraged to access the official CSSPS placement platform and follow the instructions provided for the self-placement process.
They should carefully review the schools with available vacancies before making their selection.
Parents and guardians are also advised to assist candidates during the process and ensure that the correct information is provided.
Resolution centres available to assist candidates
The Ministry has also indicated that resolution centres have been established across the country to assist candidates and parents experiencing genuine difficulties with the placement process.
Candidates or parents who encounter challenges can therefore seek assistance through the appropriate resolution centre rather than relying on unverified information circulating on social media.
What this means for the 54,000 candidates
The latest clarification means that being left out of the initial automatic placement does not necessarily mean that the affected candidates have lost their opportunity to attend SHS.
Candidates who obtained Grade 9 in English Language or Mathematics can still pursue placement through the self-placement process, subject to available vacancies.
The development is therefore expected to give thousands of young Ghanaians another opportunity to continue their secondary education.
Parents and candidates are encouraged to rely on information from the Ministry of Education, Ghana Education Service and the CSSPS rather than unofficial claims.
Light Media Ghana will continue to monitor the 2026 SHS placement exercise and provide updates as new information becomes available.
