About 565,000 BECE candidates qualify for SHS placement – CSSPS

According to the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) Secretariat Coordinator, Sherif Sulemana, approximately 565,000 candidates who took the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) have qualified for placement into Senior High Schools. Despite the fact that nearly 620,000 students took the exams, only about 565,000 met the necessary requirements.

The qualification for placement is primarily determined by a candidate's performance in English Language and Mathematics. Candidates who have failed in either of these subjects are disqualified from placement. The CSSPS analysis revealed that a significant number of candidates met the basic requirements, with about 565,000 qualifying for placement this year.

The examination results also showed a wide range of performance among the candidates, with some scoring low in certain core subjects. For instance, certain candidates might have scored either 1 or 10 out of 100, 12 or 20 out of 100, which were considered failures. Approximately 55,000 candidates did not meet the requirements for placement, indicating that they either failed in English, Mathematics or both.

With regards to the overall performance of the candidates, only about 17% obtained aggregates ranging from 6 to 18, which represented approximately 107,000 students. This indicates that a substantial percentage of the candidates, approximately 35%, obtained aggregates ranging from 6 to 24, totaling around 252,000 students.

Thus, out of the approximately 620,000 candidates who sat for the BECE, around 565,000 are expected to be considered for placement into Senior High Schools, while roughly 55,000 may not secure placement based on the specified qualification criteria.