No SHS Placement Yet? Ghana Education Service Releases Guidelines For 2026 BECE Graduates On Self-Placement And What To Do Next

No SHS Placement Yet? Ghana Education Service Releases Guidelines For 2026 BECE Graduates On Self-Placement And What To Do Next

Thousands of parents and Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) graduates across Ghana, including many in Kasoa, are in a state of anxiety after the release of the 2026 Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS), as some students have not yet been placed in any Senior High School (SHS).

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has released fresh guidelines for parents and students who fall under this category, urging them not to panic but to follow the approved self-placement process.

This development has become a major concern in Kasoa, which has one of the highest numbers of BECE candidates in the Central Region, with many students from Kasoa’s private and public Junior High Schools (JHS) affected.

Why Some Students Were Not Placed

According to information from the GES and the Free SHS Secretariat, there are several reasons why a student may not be automatically placed:

1. Poor Aggregate: Students who scored aggregate 30 and above in the BECE may not get automatic placement in their first-choice schools, especially Category A schools.

2. Wrong Selection: Some students chose only Category A schools (like Achimota, Presec, Wesley Girls, Mfantsipim) without including Category B and C schools as advised.

3. High Competition: Top schools in Accra, Cape Coast, and Kumasi received over 10,000 applications each but have only about 1,500 vacancies.

4. Errors in Bio Data: Some students had errors in their date of birth, index number, or gender that affected placement.

5. Oversubscription: Over 600,000 students wrote BECE this year, but vacancies in public SHS are limited.

A teacher in Kasoa told http://KasoaNews.com: “Many of our students in Kasoa only want schools in Accra – Accra Academy, St. Thomas Aquinas, Labone SHS.

So when those schools are full, the system cannot place them. We told them to include schools in Central Region but they refused.”

GES Official Guidelines – How To Do Self-Placement

The Ghana Education Service has outlined a simple self-placement process for students who were not placed:

Step 1: Visit the official CSSPS portal: http://cssps.gov.gh or http://cssps.org

Step 2: Enter your BECE index number and add 24 (your year) e.g., 123456789024

Step 3: Enter your e-voucher PIN from the placement checker you bought (the same you used to check placement). If you have not bought one, you can buy at any MTN Mobile Money vendor using *170#.

Step 4: The system will show “Not Placed” but will then show a list of schools with vacancies. These are schools across Ghana, mostly Category B, C, and D schools that still have space.

Step 5: Select a school with available space that matches your aggregate and preferred course (General Arts, Science, Business, Home Economics, Technical, Visual Arts).

Step 6: Confirm your selection and print your placement form. Take it to the selected school for admission.

GES warns students to be very careful during self-placement because once you select a school, you cannot change it again.

The self-placement is on a first-come, first-served basis, so the earlier you do it, the better your chances of getting a good school.

Important Warning From GES – Avoid Scammers

The GES has warned parents in Kasoa and across Ghana to avoid scammers who are collecting money from parents with the promise of placing their wards in top Category A schools.

According to GES, placement is completely free and is done only through the official CSSPS system. No official of GES or Ministry of Education will call you to ask for money for placement.

“Anyone who asks you to pay money for SHS placement is a scammer. Report them to the nearest police station or to GES headquarters. Placement is free,” GES stated in a press release.

Several reports from Kasoa New Market and Kasoa Old Market indicate that some fraudsters are charging parents GH¢500 to GH¢2,000 to “help” with placement. Parents are advised to be vigilant.

Advice For Kasoa Parents

Education experts in the Awutu Senya East Municipality have advised parents in Kasoa to:

1. Accept Any Good School: Category B and C schools like Obrachire SHS, Swedru SHS, Potsin T.I. Ahmadiyya SHS, and Ngleshie Amanfrom SHS are also performing very well in WASSCE.

2. Don’t Wait Too Long: Self-placement schools fill up quickly. If you wait one week, all good schools will be gone.

3. Go To Regional GES Office: If you have issues, visit the Central Region GES office in Cape Coast or the Awutu Senya East Education Directorate at Kasoa.

4. Prepare For Boarding: Many self-placement schools are boarding schools far from Kasoa. Start preparing for provisions, trunk, and chop box.

5. Check School Prospects: Before selecting, check the school’s recent WASSCE performance and facilities.

Free SHS Still Active?

Many parents are also asking whether Free SHS is still active for 2026 placement.

According to the Ministry of Education, the Free SHS policy remains active, covering tuition, boarding, feeding, and textbooks for all placed students in public SHS.

However, parents will still need to buy some personal items, and some PTA levies may apply in some schools for development projects.

When Will School Reopen?

According to the academic calendar released by GES, first-year students (SHS 1) are expected to report to school in early November 2026. The exact date will be announced after the self-placement window closes.

Parents are advised to start buying basic items now to avoid the last-minute rush in Kasoa market, where prices of trunks, mattresses, and school supplies usually double during SHS reopening.

Need Help With Placement In Kasoa?

If you are in Kasoa and need help with self-placement, you can visit:

– Awutu Senya East Municipal Education Office – Kasoa

– Kasoa ICT Center – Near Old Market

– Any reputable internet cafe with experienced operator – but don’t pay more than GH¢30 for assistance.

Or WhatsApp http://KasoaNews.com on 0243272564 with your BECE aggregate and we will guide you on schools you can get.

Follow http://KasoaNews.com for more BECE, SHS placement, and Kasoa education news updates.