Candidates who sat this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) will be allowed to select a maximum of two Category A schools when applying for placement into Senior High Schools (SHSs) and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions under the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS).
Speaking on Ahotor FM’s Adekyee Mu Nsem morning programme hosted by Citizen Kofi Owusu in Accra, the former National Coordinator of the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS), Mark Sasu Mensah, explained the rationale behind the revised school selection policy introduced by the NDC government.
The directive is contained in the 2026 SHS/TVET School Selection and CSSPS Placement Guide, jointly issued by the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Education Service (GES), and the Ghana TVET Service. Released on August 3, 2026, the guide outlines the procedures and requirements aimed at ensuring a smooth, transparent, and efficient placement process.
Under the guidelines, each candidate is required to select eight schools in order of preference, indicating a preferred programme of study and whether they wish to attend as a boarding or day student.
Candidates may choose no more than two Category A schools and up to three Category B schools, while the remaining three selections must be from Category C schools. The guide also prohibits candidates from selecting the same school more than once.
The Ghana Education Service emphasised that placement under the CSSPS is not based solely on a candidate’s aggregate score. Instead, the automated placement system takes into account several factors, including the candidate’s aggregate, programme of choice, boarding or day preference, and the availability of vacancies in the selected schools.
The GES has therefore advised candidates to rank their school choices carefully, placing their most preferred institution first to improve their chances of securing placement.
Regarding accommodation, candidates may select a maximum of five boarding schools and three day schools. They are also encouraged to choose day schools located within a reasonable travelling distance from their homes to minimise transportation challenges.
Candidates who are successfully placed will receive a placement slip indicating their assigned school, programme of study, boarding or day status, and reporting date. They will be required to print the slip and present it during registration at their assigned schools.
Education authorities say the revised guidelines are intended to make the placement process more efficient, fair, and transparent while ensuring that every qualified BECE candidate has an equal opportunity to gain admission into an SHS or TVET institution.
By Stephen Kwaku Owusu Mintah | Ahotoronline | Accra
