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Ghana education system faces CSSPS placement and exam performance crisis
Ghana's education sector is facing significant challenges following the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) cycles. The Ministry of Education has defended the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS), asserting that the system is working despite reports of nearly 55,000 students remaining unplaced.
Political tension has escalated as the New Patriotic Party (NPP) criticizes the government's management of the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) programme. The NPP has demanded that the government ensure all affected candidates secure actual classroom placements rather than just access to self-placement portals. They also highlighted concerns regarding declining WASSCE performance, particularly in Core Mathematics, where over 183,000 students failed to obtain a credit.
Additional issues reported include the circulation of fraudulent, digitally manipulated placement slips on social media, which the Ministry has referred to the Cyber Security Authority. Furthermore, allegations of corruption have emerged in the Ashanti Region, where parents reported being asked for money to bypass queues at placement resolution centres. Other localized concerns include missing examination scripts in the Binduri District and students being incorrectly assigned to specialized schools, such as those for the deaf, despite having no impairments.
Entities
Achimota School · Computerised School Selection and Placement System · Cyber Security Authority · Dr Clement Apaak · Ghana · Ghana Education Service · Ministry of Education · New Patriotic Party · Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] 623,072 candidates sat for the 2026 BECE, an increase from 603,328 in 2025.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] 76,635 qualified candidates were not automatically placed due to high demand for Category A schools.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] 527,932 candidates secured placement in the 2026 CSSPS exercise.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The CSSPS declared a total of 859,828 vacancies nationwide.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] 53,887 students were offered a second chance at admission through the self-placement system.
- [● 2 SOURCES] 313,283 candidates chose Category A schools as their first choice, while only 76,417 vacancies were available.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Ministry of Education directed the Ghana Education Service in the Ashanti Region to stop alleged demands for money from parents at CSSPS resolution centres. www.myjoyonline.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Ministry of Education maintains that the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) is functioning correctly. chale.news
- [● 2 SOURCES] The NPP suggested using 85 private schools participating in the Free SHS programme to accommodate unplaced students. ghanaiantimes.com.gh · theghanareport.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The NPP has called on the government to ensure all 54,985 candidates affected by the placement exercise are placed in actual classrooms. ghanaiantimes.com.gh · theghanareport.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Ministry of Education referred the matter of fake placement slips to the Cyber Security Authority for investigation. rainbowradioonline.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The NPP reported that 183,233 WASSCE candidates did not obtain a credit in Core Mathematics. metrotvonline.com · theghanareport.com