Tensions Flare at GNAT Hall as Education Ministry Directs Unplaced Students to Online Portal

Frustration reached a boiling point at the GNAT Hall in Accra as hundreds of anxious parents and candidates overwhelmed the National Placement Resolution Centre, seeking urgent fixes for ongoing Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) challenges.

Long queues and growing crowd frustration created a tense atmosphere at the facility, where officials struggled to manage the heavy influx of families dealing with unassigned placements, system errors, and confusion surrounding the self-placement procedure.

The surge in visitors comes amid mounting public anxiety over candidates who have yet to secure a Senior High School slot following the release of the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results. Addressing these concerns, the Ministry of Education clarified that 54,985 candidates who received a Grade 9 in either Core Mathematics or English Language remain fully eligible for SHS admission and have not been disqualified from the process.

To ease congestion at physical resolution centers, officials are urging families to utilize the newly activated CSSPS self-placement portal to select from schools with existing vacancies. Deputy Education Minister Dr. Clement Apaak advised parents and candidates to broaden their search beyond traditionally over-subscribed Category A institutions, encouraging them to base their choices on actual program availability, geographic proximity, and individual learning needs. The Ministry added that placement options have also been expanded this year by integrating capacity within partner private senior high schools.