Computerized SHS Placement is Free – GES Warns Parents against Paying Middlemen

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has cautioned parents and guardians not to pay money to individuals in exchange for school placements, stressing that the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) is free and strictly based on merit.

Addressing a press briefing in Accra on Wednesday, August 27, the Director-General of the GES, Professor Ernest Kofi Davis, announced that the 2025 nationwide school placement exercise will begin on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, following the release of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results on August 23, 2025.

“Permit me to put on record today that placement is free. School placement is free. It is totally free. It is not for sale,” Prof. Davis stressed. “Anybody who sells placement to a parent or guardian is therefore doing an illegal business. Persons who approach you to sell placement should be reported to the law enforcement agencies to be apprehended.”

He congratulated candidates who successfully passed the BECE, describing the achievement as a “significant milestone” in their academic journey. He also encouraged those not placed to “work harder to ensure they are considered for the next placement exercise.”

On transparency, Prof. Davis assured parents, guardians, and candidates that the 2025 placement exercise will be conducted fairly and strictly on merit.

“I wish to assure all stakeholders, including candidates, parents, and guardians, that the 2025 placement exercise will be carried out in a fair, transparent, and merit-based manner,” he said.

To reduce errors associated with school selection, GES has introduced a review window from September 1 to September 8, 2025.

“This year, we have introduced something unique. Candidates will have the opportunity to review the entries they have made—such as gender, school codes, or programme codes—online at www.cssps.gov.gh,” Prof. Davis explained. “This will be supported by an explainer video to guide parents and guardians.”

The Director-General added that official publication of placement results will be available online on September 17, 2025, with students expected to report to their respective schools between October 18 and October 20, 2025.

To support parents and candidates, Prof. Davis disclosed that call centers and district-level resolution centers will be set up nationwide beginning September 18, 2025, to resolve issues associated with placements.

“For the convenience of candidates and parents, call centers will be set up across all regions with dedicated lines to address issues that might arise. We strongly discourage walk-ins at centralized locations as this creates congestion,” he said.

Prof. Davis further urged the media and public to rely only on official channels of communication from the Ministry of Education, GES, the CSSPS Secretariat, and the TVET Service to avoid misinformation.

He concluded by extending felicitations from the Minister for Education, who was absent due to a national assignment, and thanked stakeholders for their cooperation. “We count on the support of all stakeholders to ensure a smooth placement exercise this year,” he said. “May God bless our educational system and us all.”