Between 313,000 and 328,000 students applied for Category A Senior High Schools (SHSs), according to the Education Minister, Haruna Iddrisu.

Speaking to media on Saturday, September 12, Mr Haruna Iddrisu noted that this is a challenge as these category A schools have only about 76,000 available places.

He further noted that this figure accounts for more than half of the total student population enrolled on the Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS).

The non-placement of about 55,000 students has sparked anxiety among parents and students regarding their admission prospects.

But the Education Minister says measures are being implemented to address and resolve challenges associated with the CSSPS.

“I admit that we have a problem as a country. I am not interested in dealing with the symptoms; I want to deal with the real problems,” he said.

Challenges with CSSPS include issues ranging from unsuccessful placement and difficulties with school selection to requests to change placements from day to boarding and vice versa.

Some frustrated parents who spoke to the media on Wednesday, September 8, disclosed that, after failing to resolve their concerns in previous days, they had to spend the night at the facility and return at dawn to seek assistance.

According to a parent “I left home as early as 3 a.m. and got here at 4 a.m. The officials started work around 8 a.m. We were asked to write our reasons for changing from day to boarding. After collecting the forms, they told us to wait.I came early today and pleaded with them to attend to us. So I am still waiting”.

Meanwhile, candidates who obtained a grade 9 in English Language and/or Mathematics have been offered the opportunity to choose an available school themselves through the CSSPS.

Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, September 7, Deputy Minister for Education, Dr Clement Apaak, noted that the affected individuals are select schools and programmes with available vacancies through the CSSPS.

“Accordingly, candidates who obtain a score of 9 in either English Language or Mathematics or in both subjects will be allowed to access the self-placement system and select from schools and programmes with available vacancies. The objective is to ensure that no young person is unnecessarily left behind whilst maintaining the integrity of the placement and examination systems,” Dr Apaak said.

As per the provisional results released by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) for the 2026 WASSCE for school candidates, a total of 74,692 candidates who sat for the exams obtained an F9 in Core Mathematics, representing 14.82 percent of the candidates who wrote the subject.

According to the results, 306,234 candidates, representing 60.75 percent, obtained grades between A1 and C6 in Core Mathematics. This means that while more than half of the candidates obtained credit passes in the subject, a significant number failed to achieve a passing grade.

Core Mathematics recorded the lowest A1-C6 performance among the four core subjects. In comparison, 315,094 candidates, representing 62.40 percent, obtained A1 to C6 in English Language, while 309,605 candidates, representing 62.08 percent, recorded grades between A1 and C6 in Integrated Science.

Social Studies recorded the highest performance, with 393,918 candidates, representing 78.04 percent, obtaining grades from A1 to C6.

Core Mathematics also recorded a high number of F9 grades compared with the other core subjects.

Integrated Science recorded 76,136 F9 grades, representing 15.27 percent, slightly higher than the 14.82 percent recorded in Core Mathematics.

In English Language, 55,940 candidates, representing 11.08 percent, obtained F9, while Social Studies recorded the lowest F9 figure, with 39,416 candidates, representing 7.81 percent.