By: Kenneth Appiah Bani
The government has granted a second chance to 53,887 candidates of the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) who scored Grade 9 in either English Language or Mathematics, or both subjects, allowing them to participate in the self-placement process under the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS).
The affected candidates were initially excluded from the automatic school selection and placement process because they did not meet the required criteria for placement into senior high schools (SHSs).
However, the government has now opened an opportunity for these candidates to select their preferred Senior High Schools (SHSs) and programmes through the self-placement system.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Monday, September 7, Deputy Minister of Education, Dr Clement Apaak, urged the affected candidates to take advantage of the opportunity and continue with their education.
“To candidates who obtained a score of nine in English Language or Mathematics or in both subjects, the government is providing you with an opportunity to participate in the self-placement,” Dr Apaak said.
He added: “We encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity and continue your education journey.”
The intervention is expected to provide a pathway back into the second-cycle education system for thousands of BECE graduates who would otherwise have been left without placement.
Candidates who qualify for the initiative will be required to use the CSSPS self-placement platform to select available schools and programmes based on the options provided by the system.
The move comes as the government works to ensure that more eligible young people have the opportunity to continue their education despite falling outside the initial placement criteria.
