2026 BECE Results: GES Sets July 20 to August 7 for SHS School Selection Exercise
- The Ghana Education Service announced that 2026 BECE candidates will select their second cycle schools from July 20 to August 7, 2026
- Candidates will choose eight senior high schools this year, up from seven, following revisions to the Computerised School Selection and Placement System
- The GES also scheduled a nationwide training and sensitisation exercise for directors of education from July 15 to July 29 to guide the process
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The Ghana Education Service (GES) has announced that candidates who sat this year's Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) will begin selecting their second-cycle schools on Monday, July 20, with the exercise closing on August 7, 2026.
The GES issued a circular dated July 6, 2026, directing regional directors of education to inform all metropolitan, municipal and district directors within their jurisdictions to ensure full participation in the selection exercise.
Source: Facebook
Graphic Online reported that to prepare education officials for the exercise, the GES has scheduled a nationwide training and sensitisation programme running from Wednesday, July 15, to Tuesday, July 29, 2026. BECE results are expected to be released by July 15.
The session is designed to give directors deeper insight into the 2026 Selection Guidelines and Placement Procedures.
What to expect for 2026 BECE candidates
This year's process marks a notable departure from previous practice. In past years, candidates chose their preferred senior high schools before sitting the BECE.
The policy has now been revised so that students can first review their results and assess their performance before making school selections.
Candidates will also be required to select eight senior high schools in total, one more than the seven permitted last year.
Among those choices, they must include two Category 'A' schools, one with boarding facilities and the other a day school within their district. The changes form part of broader efforts to improve the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) and resolve recurring placement difficulties.
About the 2026 BECE
This year's BECE was conducted from May 4 to May 11, 2026, across 2,303 centres nationwide.
A total of 620,141 candidates sat the examination, comprising 304,349 boys and 315,792 girls, drawn from 20,395 schools.
That figure represents a 2.7 per cent increase over last year's total. The exercise was overseen by 2,303 supervisors, 2,070 assistant supervisors and 21,791 invigilators.
Source: Facebook
Assurance from GES to 2026 BECE candidates
The GES has given assurances that no qualified candidate will be left without a placement. In a statement issued on May 14, 2026, the service moved to dispel social media reports suggesting that around 72,000 students risked missing out on placement.
"The report circulating in sections of the media suggesting that about 72,000 students risk not being placed is speculative and does not reflect the reality. We, therefore, urge the public to disregard it," the GES stated.
The service added that sufficient infrastructure and facilities had been secured nationwide to accommodate all incoming students when the 2026 academic year begins on September 18.
Government set to make major change to BECE
YEN.com.gh reported that the government is reviewing the Basic Education Certificate Examination timetable to create longer intervals between papers and reduce pressure on candidates.
The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, said the current timetable placed unnecessary stress on students.
Iddrisu explained to the press that under the proposed review, the exam will now begin on Wednesdays.
Source: YEN.com.gh
