The Ministry of Education has released the 2026 Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) results with 527,932 candidates successfully placed into Senior High Schools, Senior High Technical Schools and technical and vocational institutions.

At a press briefing in Accra on September 7, 2026, the Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak stated that the results were released at 10:00 p.m. on September 4, 2026.

According to the Ministry, a total of 623,072 candidates sat for the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) representing an increase of 19,744 over last year's 603,328 candidates.

Of the number, 604,567 candidates qualified for placement and 527,932 have been automatically placed, representing 87.3 percent of qualified candidates. 

Of those placed, 276,521 are females and 251,411 are males.

The Ministry explained that the failure of some qualified candidates to get automatic placement was due to high demand for Category A schools.

Data shows that 313,283 candidates chose Category A schools as first choice while 176,614 chose Category B, 123,577 chose Category C, and 995 chose private SHSs. 

However, available vacancies were 76,417 in Category A, 250,366 in Category B, 468,652 in Category C, out of total declared vacancies of 859,828.

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

On candidates who did not meet automatic placement requirements, the Ministry said 57,259 candidates fell in this category. 

This includes 3,372 who did not sit for the exams, 35,382 who obtained grade 9 in either English or Mathematics, and 18,505 who obtained grade 9 in both subjects.

Government has decided that candidates with grade 9 in English and/or Mathematics will be allowed to access the self-placement portal to select from schools with available vacancies. 

The 3,372 candidates without results will not be placed now but will be given a second chance to resit.

The Ministry also announced that 85 private Senior High Schools are participating in the Free SHS programme for the 2026/2027 academic year to expand access and reduce pressure on highly subscribed public schools.

To ease admission, the CSSPS has been upgraded to include an admission portal where parents can enroll their children and download admission forms without travelling to the schools. 

Heads of schools have been warned not to admit students outside the system.

The Ministry has set up resolution centres at all regional GES and Ghana TVET Service offices with the GNAT Hall in Accra designated as the National Placement Resolution Centre.

The Deputy Education Minister stressed that school placement is absolutely free and warned parents not to pay money to anyone claiming to secure placement.

"No parent should pay money to any individual, whether that person claims to be an official of the Ministry, GES, TVET Service, a school official or intermediary, to secure or change placement. There is no legitimate protocol placement that requires payment," he said, urging the public to report such persons to the Ghana Police Service or the Office of the Special Prosecutor.

Parents and candidates needing assistance can contact the official call centre lines: 055 037 7388, 059 952 5926, 059 844 5898, 059 797 4847, 055 855 5431.