Thousands of Fresh SHS1 Students Report to School as Government Reviews Placement System
Thousands of newly placed Senior High School (SHS) students across Ghana are reporting to their respective schools this week following the release of the 2025 Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) results. This year’s intake marks the first under the new National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration, which has announced plans to review the placement system amid ongoing challenges and mounting pressure on school infrastructure.
Before the introduction of the CSSPS in 2005, student placement into senior high schools was done manually. Education officials from the Ghana Education Service (GES) and heads of SHSs met at regional centres to allocate students based on their Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results, catchment areas, and available vacancies.
The manual system, however, was fraught with inefficiencies, favoritism, and delays. In response, the government introduced the CSSPS to ensure fairness, transparency, and efficiency in the placement process. Under the system, candidates select their preferred schools during BECE registration, after which a computer algorithm matches them to schools based on merit, choice, and available space.
The Free SHS policy, introduced by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government in 2017, significantly increased access to secondary education but also strained existing infrastructure. While the policy made SHS education free for all, it led to rising numbers of BECE graduates competing for limited space in Category A and B schools.
Under the leadership of Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, the NPP administration refined the CSSPS and expanded the double-track system to accommodate growing numbers. However, concerns persisted regarding transparency in placements, cases of human error, and alleged manipulation of school choices.
According to data from the Ministry of Education and GES, out of approximately 590,000 candidates who sat for the 2025 BECE, around 107,509 students were not automatically matched and had to use the self-placement option.
In a major shift this year, over 25,000 students have been placed in private senior high schools under a new public–private partnership arrangement designed to absorb excess numbers.
The GES has cautioned parents and students to beware of fraudulent individuals who claim they can alter placements for a fee. The Service has also opened a review window to allow unmatched or misallocated candidates to rectify issues through the official CSSPS portal (www.cssps.gov.gh).
With the change in government earlier this year, the NDC, led by President John Dramani Mahama and Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu, has pledged a comprehensive review of the placement system. The review aims to address long-standing inefficiencies and ensure placements reflect both merit and equity.
Minister Iddrisu stated that the ministry will prioritize:
Expanding infrastructure in existing SHSs to reduce overcrowding.
Upgrading selected Category C schools to Category B status.
Enhancing transparency in the CSSPS algorithm and data handling.
“The goal is not just to place every child,” he said, “but to ensure that placement gives them a fair chance at quality education, regardless of location or background.”
Students placed in various senior high schools began reporting between October 15 and 20, 2025, with most public schools reopening their first-year streams this week.
New students are required to present:
BECE certificates or placement printouts,
Birth certificates,
Passport-sized photographs, and
Admission letters from the CSSPS portal.
Schools have also issued prospectuses outlining uniforms, books, and personal items required for both boarding and day students.
GES regional directors have assured parents that no additional placement fees are to be charged by any school and that students under the Free SHS policy—whether in public or private schools—will have their tuition and basic feeding covered by the government.
Despite efforts to streamline the process, reports from various regions indicate persistent challenges. Some parents have complained about late placement changes, technical glitches, and students being assigned to schools they did not choose.
Social media platforms have been flooded with questions from frustrated parents attempting to print placement forms or locate their wards’ schools. In response, the GES has deployed regional help desks and call centres to address complaints promptly.
Education analysts are calling for greater algorithmic transparency, recommending that the Ministry publish details of how scores and preferences are weighted in the placement process. They argue that transparency would help restore public confidence in the CSSPS.
As thousands of students settle into their new schools, the education community will be watching closely to see how the NDC administration manages its promised review. If successful, the reforms could mark a new era for Ghana’s secondary education system one that balances free access with fairness, quality, and planning.
For now, the mood across campuses is one of excitement and hope, as Ghana’s next generation of students begin their SHS journey under the banner of a restructured placement system.
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