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Over 310,000 Senior High School applicants competed for just 76,417 Category A vacancies during the 2026 placement exercise, creating a severe bottleneck in elite institutions despite a significant nationwide surplus of total school places.
Speaking on JoyNews’ The Pulse, Press Secretary to the Minister for Education, Hashmin Mohammed, clarified that the overall Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) declared 859,828 total vacancies far exceeding the number of sitters yet extreme candidate preference for elite institutions like Achimota School and Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School (Presec Legon) left thousands unable to secure their top priority.
The placement data underscores a massive structural imbalance across choices and capacity. Category A schools received 313,283 first-choice applications for 76,417 available spots. Conversely, Category B attracted 176,614 applicants against 250,366 vacancies, while Category C recorded 123,577 applicants for 468,652 available slots. When candidates miss out on their preferred choices, the CSSPS automatically evaluates them for their lower preferences down to their eighth selection, provided they meet the entry criteria.
Responding to public criticism, the Ministry flatly rejected claims that candidates were placed in schools they never selected. Mr. Mohammed emphasized that expanding candidate choices to eight options this year ensured allocations remained strictly within student submissions, urging parents to verify original selection slips before alleging system errors.
Out of 604,567 qualified candidates who sat the examination, 527,932 (87.3 percent) have been successfully matched. Candidates left unplaced including those who scored a grade nine in English Language or Mathematics can now access the self-placement portal to choose from remaining vacancies. Regional and national resolution centres have also been activated to handle ongoing placement inquiries.