Every public senior high school, technical school and TVET institute in Ghana is placed in a category by the Ghana Education Service, and the category decides how many of them a BECE candidate may choose. Placement is done by computer, through the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS).
What the categories mean
| Category | Means |
|---|---|
| A | Over-subscribed: far more candidates choose them than they have places. The schools everyone has heard of |
| B | Averagely subscribed |
| C | The rest, usually with places to spare |
A category is about demand, not a grade awarded to the school. Many Category B and C schools teach well, and a Category C school near home can be a better choice for a day student than a Category A one across the country.
Choosing: the 2026 rules
Under the CSSPS guide for 2026, each candidate chooses eight schools, ranked, with a programme and boarding or day for each:
| Category | Choices allowed |
|---|---|
| A | Up to two |
| B | Up to three |
| C | The remaining three |
- No school may be chosen twice.
- At most five boarding choices and three day choices.
- Choose day schools only within reasonable travel of home.
The rules change between years - earlier years allowed only one Category A school - so check the current guide before choosing.
How placement decides
The computer works down each candidate’s list in order, against:
- The aggregate from the BECE, the most important factor but not the only one
- The programme chosen at that school
- Boarding or day
- Whether places are left in that programme when the candidate’s turn comes
A strong aggregate with two Category A choices at the top is reasonable. Eight over-subscribed schools is how a good candidate ends up unplaced: list schools you would actually accept all the way down.
After placement
Successful candidates get a placement slip with the school, programme, boarding or day status and reporting date. Print it; the school asks for it on arrival.
A candidate who is not placed, or who wants a different school, can choose from schools with places left during the self-placement window, and regional resolution centres handle problems. Category C schools often have room then.
Public SHS tuition is free under the Free SHS policy, which began in 2017. Families still pay for some items, and the prospectus lists them. — Schools in Accra — Where to buy school supplies
Before choosing
- Check the BECE results first, and read the aggregate honestly. — Checking BECE and WASSCE results
- Look at the programme, not only the school. Places are counted per programme, so the same school can be full for one and open for another.
- Ask the JHS head teacher, who sees how last year’s candidates were placed.