Approximately 55,000 candidates who sat the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) will not qualify for placement into second-cycle institutions after failing either English Language or Mathematics, the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) has announced.
The Coordinator of the CSSPS, Sherif Sulemana, made the disclosure during an appearance on JoyFM’s Super Morning Show on Thursday, September 3, 2026, providing detailed statistics on candidate performance and the placement criteria .
Qualification Criteria Explained
Mr Sulemana explained that out of the approximately 620,000 candidates who sat the examination, about 565,000 qualified for placement. This means roughly 55,000 candidates will be excluded from the placement exercise .
“You are disqualified from placement if you have failed either English or Mathematics,” he stated, emphasising that candidates must pass both core subjects to be eligible for placement .
The CSSPS Coordinator clarified that obtaining Grade 9 under the standardised grading system does not automatically mean a candidate has failed. He explained that candidates’ raw examination scores are also considered when determining eligibility .
“The raw scores—maybe I could have shown you the data—you would find that somebody got one, somebody got 10 out of 100, somebody got 12 or 20 out of 100, and that qualifies as a failure,” he said .
Performance Distribution Highlights Concerns
The data revealed a concerning distribution of performance among candidates. Only about 17 per cent of candidates, representing approximately 107,000 students, obtained aggregates ranging from six to 18 .
“If you look at the data on the performance of the candidates, we only had about 17 per cent of the candidates getting from aggregate six to 18. In absolute figures, you are talking about 107,000,” Mr Sulemana stated .
When the range was widened to aggregates six to 24, the proportion increased to approximately 35 per cent, representing about 252,000 candidates .
Placement Process and Raw Scores
Mr Sulemana also explained the mechanics of the placement process, noting that candidates are ranked based on their aggregate scores from the highest (six) to the lowest (54) . The system then matches candidates’ aggregate scores against their selected schools, programmes and residential preferences .
He revealed that raw scores become crucial when two or more candidates have the same aggregate and are competing for limited spaces. This means a candidate with a lower aggregate could sometimes secure a placement ahead of a candidate with a better aggregate if their raw scores are higher .
“That’s where we use the raw scores to break the tie of the candidates,” he explained, adding that “sometimes we rely on the raw scores so that the raw scores now become the true reflection of the candidate, not the aggregate score” .
Support Systems Activated
Meanwhile, the CSSPS has activated call centres to address complaints and challenges that may arise during the placement exercise . Mr Sulemana said candidates and parents who live far from regional resolution centres could contact the call centres for assistance.
“If you are in a district far from the regional centre, all you have to do is call the call centre, let them understand your issue, and that will be resolved for you,” he said .
The Secretariat has also established regional resolution centres and a National Resolution Centre at the GNAT Hall to handle placement-related concerns ahead of schools reopening on September 18, 2026 .
