50,000 Candidates Miss 2026 SHS Placement Due to English and Maths Failures

Approximately 50,000 candidates from the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) have been excluded from the Senior High School (SHS) placement process after failing to meet the required standards in English Language or Mathematics.

Out of roughly 620,000 candidates who sat for the 2026 BECE, approximately 565,000 have successfully secured placement. The official announcement for these placements is scheduled for Friday, September 4, 2026.

Understanding the Placement Requirements

This information was confirmed by Sherif Sulemana, Coordinator of the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS), during a radio interview on Joy FM.

Mr. Sulemana clarified that passing both English Language and Mathematics is a mandatory condition for placement, regardless of a student's overall aggregate score. "A candidate could obtain a good aggregate but still fail to qualify if the candidate failed either of the two subjects," he explained.

Updates to the Placement Process

Several key changes have been introduced to the 2026 process to improve efficiency:

• Digital Admissions: Candidates will no longer need to travel to collect physical admission letters; letters are now provided digitally alongside the placement notification.
• Decentralised Complaint Centres: The Ministry of Education is working to manage complaints more effectively, with plans to use call centres for districts distant from regional resolution centres.

Regarding the lack of district-level complaint centres, Hashmin Mohammed, Press Secretary to the Minister of Education, stated that the ministry is operating within available resources but would consider further expansion if regional systems prove insufficient.

Oversubscription Challenges in Category A Schools

High-performing institutions continue to face extreme pressure. For instance, Aburi Girls’ and Achimota schools received an overwhelming number of applications relative to their vacancy numbers:

• Aburi Girls’: Received 8,225 applications for approximately 800 vacancies.
• Achimota School: Received about 28,000 applications for approximately 1,300 vacancies.

This means that over 34,000 students who selected these schools as their preferred choices will need to compete for limited spots when results are released. According to the CSSPS, the competition is particularly intense among candidates with high aggregate scores (between six and 12).