Pick After the Results: Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu Revolutionizes SHS Selection | Discuss Ghana

In a major shift for Ghana's education system, the Minister for Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, has officially introduced a new policy allowing 2026 BECE candidates to select their Senior High Schools after their results are released.

Speaking during a press briefing today, Tuesday, May 5, 2026, the Minister—who assumed office in January 2025 following the return of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to power—emphasized that this reform is designed to bring fairness and realism to the placement process.

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The End of "Blind Selection"

The new policy marks a departure from the decades-old tradition of students picking schools months before they knew how they had performed in the national exam.

Informed Choice: Minister Iddrisu explained that forcing 15-year-olds to guess their performance led to thousands of mismatched placements. "In the past, students selected schools without knowing their aggregate, and that affected the entire system. This time, there will be a mandatory one-week window after results are declared for students to confirm their choices based on their actual performance," he stated.

Eight School Options: For the 2026 academic year, candidates will select a total of eight schools. A key new requirement is that students must choose two Category A schools—one boarding and one day school—within their local vicinity to ease the pressure on top-tier national institutions.

Timeline: With the BECE ending on May 11, and SHSs scheduled to reopen on September 18, 2026, the Minister assured parents that there is ample time for the results to be processed and for the "selection week" to take place.

Zero Tolerance for "Placement Racketeering"

Alongside the new selection policy, the Minister issued a stern warning against the illegal manipulation of the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS).

Illegal Placement Warning: Mr. Iddrisu cautioned that any individual—be it a parent, teacher, or official—found trying to "buy" a slot in a Category A school would face the full rigors of the law. He described the practice of "school placement racketeering" as a threat to national meritocracy.

Strict Invigilation: The Minister also warned invigilators and supervisors currently managing the BECE that the government has "zero tolerance" for exam malpractice. "If you are caught aiding cheating, you will be prosecuted and permanently blacklisted by the Ministry," he added.

The "Apo" Crackdown: He urged students to ignore "leaked" questions (apo) and rely on the curriculum, promising that the 2026 papers have been secured with high-level biometric tracking to prevent leaks.