BY Issah Olegor
The Ghana Education Service (GES) has announced that the 2025 school placement portal will open from September 1 to September 8, 2025, giving students the opportunity to confirm or amend their school selections ahead of the final placement exercise on September 17, 2025.
The move, according to the Director-General of GES, Professor Ernest Kofi Davis, is intended to promote transparency and accuracy in the highly scrutinised placement system that has often been dogged by complaints of errors and allegations of corruption.
Speaking at a press briefing in Accra, Prof. Davis said the new system would, for the first time, allow Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates to review their entries before the final placement.
He explained that this adjustment aims to minimise disputes that have in the past forced the GES to open emergency complaint desks during the placement period.
“For the first time, candidates will have the opportunity to review their entries. The exercise runs from September 1 to September 8, after which the final placement will begin on September 17,” Prof. Davis noted.
Private Schools Brought into the Process
In what marks a significant policy shift, the GES has also announced that private senior high schools will be included in the placement process.
This is the first time since the introduction of the computerized school selection and placement system (CSSPS) in 2005 that private institutions are being fully integrated into the national platform.
Prof. Davis explained that students now have the option to select private schools during the placement process or through the self-placement system.
“Private schools have been added to the list of schools available for selection. They are part of the database. Students who wish to access them can do so through the placement system. This ensures inclusivity and gives parents more options,” he said.
Education analysts say the decision is a response to concerns from private school operators who have long argued that their exclusion from the CSSPS disadvantaged their institutions and limited opportunities for students who may prefer them.
Warning Against Corruption and ‘Placement for Sale’
The GES Director-General also issued a strong caution to parents and guardians against paying bribes in exchange for school placements.
Over the years, the placement process has been marred by reports of a black market where middlemen, including some education officials, demand thousands of cedis to guarantee entry into top-tier schools.
Prof. Davis stressed that school placement remains free of charge and any attempt to sell slots is illegal.
“Placement is not for sale. The Ministry of Education and GES are not part of this illegal business. Parents should report anyone demanding money for placement to law enforcement authorities,” he warned.
Outstanding Results And Double-Track Future
Meanwhile, Prof. Davis disclosed that a portion of the BECE results is still being withheld by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) over suspected irregularities.
However, he assured that this will not affect the placement calendar.
“Students with issues concerning withheld results must resolve them within the three-week window before placement. Otherwise, the system will move on,” he said.
Touching on the much-debated double-track system, introduced in 2018 to manage congestion in senior high schools after the rollout of the Free SHS policy, Prof. Davis clarified that it will not be eliminated immediately.
He explained that while the government is working to expand infrastructure, some schools will still operate the double-track system in 2025, with a full phase-out expected by 2028.
Next Steps
Students placed will be expected to report to their respective schools between October 18 and 20, 2025, officially marking the beginning of the academic year.
The GES has promised further updates in the coming days as it prepares to launch the 2025 placement process, which will affect over 500,000 BECE candidates nationwide.
