SHS School Selection: GES Activates WAEC Portal for 2026 Placement Exercise, Gives Deadline
- The Ghana Education Service opened the WAEC portal on August 24 for JHS heads to submit school selection data for the 2026 placement exercise
- GES set a four-day window running from August 24 to 27 for all eligible candidates' data to be captured and uploaded
- Metro, Municipal and District Directors of Education have been directed to supervise the data capture process across all schools closely
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The Ghana Education Service (GES) has activated the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) portal to collect and upload school selection data from Junior High School candidates ahead of the 2026 Senior High School placement exercise.
In a directive dated August 24 and addressed to all Regional Directors of Education, the GES confirmed that heads of Junior High Schools have from Monday, August 24 to Thursday, August 27, 2026, to submit their candidates' school preference data through the portal.
Source: Facebook
Headteachers who had yet to complete the uploading of candidates' school choices on the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) portal for pre-testing were instructed to do so by close of work on August 24.
Following that, they are required to proceed with capturing and uploading the same candidates' data on the WAEC portal within the four-day window.
The GES noted that the WAEC portal is designed to allow the same school identification number and password to be used on multiple computers at the same time.
The service said this capability is particularly useful for schools with large candidate numbers, as it enables simultaneous data entry across different computers, reducing the risk of delays in completing the exercise.
Directors and Coordinators Tasked With Supervision
Metro, Municipal and District Directors of Education, alongside Examination Coordinators, have been instructed to oversee the process at the school level and confirm that the data of all eligible candidates is properly captured, verified and submitted before the deadline.
Regional Directors of Education have been assigned the responsibility of communicating the directive to all relevant institutions under their jurisdiction and ensuring full compliance with the stipulated timeline.
The GES emphasised that capturing and submitting all eligible candidates' information within the four-day period is critical to keeping the broader 2026 placement exercise on schedule.
Changes 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.
How to check your BECE results
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the West African Examinations Council had released provisional results for the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination.
Candidates were required to purchase a results checker voucher before accessing their scores through the official WAEC portal.
WAEC had warned candidates against fraudsters who claimed they could upgrade examination scores for a fee.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
