The Ministry of Education has officially released the 2025 school placements for candidates who sat for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
Out of 603,328 students who wrote the exams, 590,309 qualified for placement into Senior High Schools (SHSs), Senior High Technical Schools (SHTSs), and Technical and Vocational Institutions (TVIs).
According to the Ministry, 483,800 candidates, representing 82 percent, have been automatically placed, while 107,509 candidates will need to use the self-placement portal.
Deputy Education Minister Dr. Clement Apaak explained that the intense demand for top-tier schools meant some candidates could not secure their preferred choices. He encouraged affected students to make use of the self-placement system, which has already been activated.
In a new development, the Ministry is piloting 70 private schools under the Free SHS Programme. Initially, only 21 schools were included in the selection process, but all 70 are now available on the placement portal for students to choose from.
This year’s exercise covers a total of 724 public SHSs/SHTSs, 233 TVIs, and the 70 private SHSs. To assist candidates and parents, resolution centres have been set up at district, regional, and national levels, with the GNAT Hall in Accra serving as the national centre.
The Ministry reminded the public that the placement process is entirely free and strongly cautioned parents and guardians against paying money to individuals who promise to secure placements for their wards.
The release of the 2025 placements marks another milestone in Ghana’s ongoing Free SHS policy, ensuring that hundreds of thousands of students continue their education without financial barriers, while also broadening access to private institutions under the programme.
Education stakeholders have welcomed the release of the placements, noting that it provides clarity and relief for parents and students who have been eagerly awaiting the outcome.
Civil society groups have also commended the inclusion of private schools in the Free SHS programme, describing it as a progressive move that will expand access and reduce pressure on public schools.
However, they have also urged the Ministry to ensure transparency, fairness, and efficiency in the placement process to maintain public trust. The Ministry has reassured the public of its commitment to continuous improvement of the placement system to meet growing demand.
