Also known as: BECE · 2026 BECE · 2025 BECE · 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination · 2025 Basic Education Certificate Examination · B.E.C.E · 2027 BECE · BECE 2026 · BECE exam · BECE results
News reports
Order a long-term news report on Basic Education Certificate Examination
Every mention in the Ghanaian press over the period you choose, compiled as a PDF or Word document.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
Joy Online
Every year, when Ghana’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results are released, the country is drawn into a familiar debate. …
Before they failed the BECE, did Ghana fail them?Joy Online
… BECE performance The Member of Parliament for Agotime Ziope, Charles Agvbeve, lauded the initiative, underscoring the need for communities to champion self-help projects, helping the government to develop the country. …
Ziope undertakes initiative to build a technologically inclined community, commissions self-help ICT labJoy Online
… The situation is particularly worrying for final-year pupils preparing for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), some of whom said their mock examinations were approaching without adequate revision. …
Old Edubiase pupils turn to trading, farming as teachers’ strike disrupts schoolingJoy Online
… The authorities said he wrote the BECE with a qualifying grade from WAEC and was posted to the school to study. …
Diminutive SHS 1 student in viral video is 16, not underage – Adanwomase SHS clarifiesJoy Online
… Mr Mohammed said those were some of the problems identified while reviewing the placement forms of Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) graduates in this year’s placement exercise, which was not helpful. …
CSSPS resolves 83% of placement issues, day-to-boarding requests dominate outstanding casesJoy Online
… It further linked the dispute to what it described as poor learning outcomes, citing the performance recorded in the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). …
Teacher unions’ strike: Minority demands immediate payment of teacher arrears, 20% deprived area allowanceJoy Online
Every year, the release of the BECE results is followed by another familiar national ritual: the scramble for Senior High School places, anxious parents, long queues at placement centres and the inevitable political arguments over the Computerised School Selection and Placement S …
The BECE exam and placement conundrum: Necessary evil or failing system?Joy Online
… It’s already from 13.5 percent to 14.8 percent.” Mr Asare also pointed to data from the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), saying the level of malpractice associated with subject cancellations and entire results increased sharply between 2024 and 2025. …
Examination malpractice is rising, not declining – EduWatchJoy Online
The proportion of Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates automatically placed into senior high schools has hit its highest level since at least 2021, according to placement data from the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS). …
2026 BECE automatic placement rate hits 87.3%, highest since 2021 — CSSPS dataJoy Online
… The parent, who works as a driver, said his daughter obtained an aggregate 9 in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) but had still not been placed in any SHS as of Friday. …
‘I was ready to pay GH¢10,000’ – Parent recounts struggle to secure SHS placement for daughterAn opinion piece argues that Ghana's children sit the same national examination (BECE) despite receiving vastly unequal quality of education—some in well-resourced schools, others in overcrowded classrooms with inadequate facilities—yet are measured against identical standards, raising questions about whether systemic inequalities are the real problem behind examination outcomes.
12 October 2026 · Joy Online →
An opinion piece argues that Ghana's children sit the same national examination (BECE) despite receiving vastly unequal quality of education—some in well-resourced schools, others in overcrowded classrooms with inadequate facilities—yet are measured against identical standards, raising questions about whether systemic inequalities are the real problem behind examination outcomes.
12 October 2026 · Joy Online →
The Chiefs and people of Ziope in the Agotime Ziope District of the Volta Region have commissioned a well-equipped self-help information and communication technology lab for the community basic school, providing pupils with practical ICT training. The lab, furnished with forty desktop computers, an air conditioner, robotic logistics and internet connection, was built using proceeds from 2025 community celebrations.
11 October 2026 · Joy Online →
Pupils at Old Edubiase Methodist Basic School in Ashanti Region have abandoned classrooms to work on farms, hawk goods, and play football during a nationwide pre-tertiary teachers' strike that has disrupted schooling. The pupils, some of whom were instructed to stay home until the strike ends, expressed concern that the prolonged absence was negatively affecting their education.
9 October 2026 · Joy Online →
Adanwomase SHS authorities have clarified that a viral video of a diminutive male boarding student does not show an underage minor, but a 16-year-old named Kofi Sarpong who qualified for admission after passing the BECE with an aggregate of 18. The school says he is well-integrated with his peers and aims to become a lawyer.
6 October 2026 · Joy Online →
The Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) Resolution Centre has resolved 30,781 of 37,117 placement issues, with the remaining 6,936 cases dominated by students seeking to change from day to boarding status after being placed. According to the Press Secretary to the Minister of Education, many students strategically selected day placements to increase their chances of admission, then later requested to switch to boarding.
1 October 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghana's parliamentary Minority has called on the government to urgently address outstanding grievances from teacher unions (GNAT, NAGRAT, and PRETAG) to avert an indefinite strike. The unions' concerns include delays in negotiating a new Collective Agreement, failure to automatically place promoted teachers, and non-payment of the Deprived Area Allowance—conditions agreed under the 2024 Collective Agreement for Teaching Staff.
25 September 2026 · Joy Online →
Of 604,567 BECE candidates who qualified for placement in 2026, 527,932 secured automatic placements, leaving 76,635 without—despite 859,828 vacancies across institutions. The mismatch stems from demand concentration: over 313,000 candidates listed Category A schools as first choice despite only 76,000 available spots, while Category C schools had more than 468,000 vacancies.
19 September 2026 · Joy Online →
EduWatch Executive Director Kofi Asare disputes claims that examination malpractice is declining, presenting data showing the rate increased from about 0.9% in 2018 to 13.5% in 2024 and 14.8% in 2025, with the trend continuing to worsen.
15 September 2026 · Joy Online →
Of 604,567 BECE candidates who qualified for placement in 2026, 527,932 (87.32%) were automatically placed into senior high schools, the highest rate since at least 2021, up from 81.96% in 2025. The proportion of candidates requiring self-placement has declined from 33.77% in 2021 to 8.91% as of mid-September 2026.
12 September 2026 · Joy Online →
A parent whose daughter obtained an aggregate 9 in the Basic Education Certificate Examination remains without Senior High School placement through the computerised system and says the uncertainty pushed him to consider paying GH¢10,000 to secure admission privately, though he was allegedly asked for GH¢15,000 instead.
11 September 2026 · Joy Online →
About 55,000 children failed to enter Senior House after failing Mathematics or English in the BECE (Basic Education Certificate Examination). The Chronicle's reflective piece questions not just the children's performance but the responsibility of the education system, teachers, and policymakers in identifying and addressing when students first began falling behind.
11 September 2026 · The Chronicle →
Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin called for an honest national conversation on Ghana's education system, citing concerns over WAEC exam results and JHS placement challenges. He noted 183,233 students completed secondary education without a credit in Core Mathematics, English Language credit pass rates fell to 62.40 percent (lowest in four years), and 54,985 BECE candidates were initially denied automatic placement into SHS.
10 September 2026 · Daily Guide →
The Chronicle editorial argues that Ghana's Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS), while intended to improve transparency and efficiency, continues to generate considerable confusion and frustration during annual school placement exercises despite technological improvements. The number of BECE candidates has been rising in recent years.
10 September 2026 · The Chronicle →
The New Patriotic Party has called for a national conversation on education, citing 183,233 students who completed secondary school without a credit pass in Core Mathematics, an English Language credit pass rate of 62.40 per cent (its lowest in four years), and allegations that 54,985 BECE candidates were initially denied automatic placement despite reported vacancies.
9 September 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
Angel Carbonu, former NAGRAT president, has warned that more than 54,000 candidates not placed in public SHSs or TVET institutions under the 2026 Free SHS/TVET programme could end up on the streets without another opportunity, cautioning that the situation carries serious social consequences, particularly for candidates from poor backgrounds.
9 September 2026 · Joy Online →
The National Council of Parent-Teacher Associations has demanded an independent technical review of the 2026 BECE assessment and results processing, including examination of marking, moderation, score processing, grade conversion, and the integrity of the electronic system. The council's General Secretary said the objective is to strengthen public confidence in WAEC and that the grading system should be clearly explained to parents and schools.
8 September 2026 · Joy Online →
Parents and candidates seeking to resolve issues with senior high school placements through the Computerised School Selection and Placement System are calling for additional resolution centres in Greater Accra, citing long queues and hours of waiting at the single National Placement Resolution Centre at GNAT Hall.
8 September 2026 · Joy Online →
Hopeson Adorye, director of field operations of the United Party, has blamed the abolition of corporal punishment in schools for declining academic performance in BECE and WASSCE exams, arguing that the loss of disciplinary measures has weakened pupil discipline. He also cited inadequate supervision in public schools, where some teachers allegedly spend instructional time on phones rather than teaching, and called for stronger oversight in the education system.
8 September 2026 · Joy Online →
The Ghana Education Service says there are about 800,000 available class vacancies in senior high schools against approximately 637,328 qualifying candidates, and 87.3% of qualified students have already been automatically placed. The GES notes that the challenge is driven by high demand for Category A schools, where more than 318,000 candidates seek approximately 76,000 available vacancies.
7 September 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghana's weak performance in English and Mathematics examinations reflects persistent literacy and numeracy challenges in the education system, particularly at basic education level, according to the Executive Director of the Institute for Education Studies. About 55,000 BECE candidates failed to progress because they did not qualify in English Language, Mathematics, or both subjects.
7 September 2026 · Joy Online →
Tensions are mounting at the National Placement Resolution Centre in Accra as parents and candidates crowd the facility seeking solutions to placement issues with the Computerised School Selection and Placement System. The Ministry of Education clarified that 54,985 candidates who obtained Grade 9 in either English Language or Mathematics in the 2026 BECE have not been disqualified and are eligible to use the self-placement process to select from schools with available vacancies.
7 September 2026 · Joy Online →
The Education Ministry said 313,283 candidates selected Category A schools as their first choice during the 2026 Computerised School Selection and Placement System exercise, despite only 76,417 vacancies in that category; the ministry noted that overall 859,828 vacancies were declared nationwide, but demand concentrated heavily on the most subscribed schools such as Achimota and Presec.
7 September 2026 · Joy Online →
The Ministry of Education released 2026 CSSPS results, with 527,932 candidates securing placement in secondary and technical institutions—a 87.3% placement rate of the 604,567 qualified candidates. The ministry attributed the placement rate to a mismatch between candidates' school preferences and available vacancies across the system.
7 September 2026 · Joy Online →
The Conference of Heads of Private Second-Cycle Schools says accredited private institutions are ready to admit 54,985 candidates who were not placed in public Senior High Schools following the 2026 BECE, urging them not to abandon their educational goals and noting that private schools have long provided quality education and support.
4 September 2026 · Joy Online →
Approximately 107,000 candidates who sat the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination obtained aggregates ranging from six to 18, representing about 17 per cent of the estimated 620,000 candidates who took the exam, according to the Computerised School Selection and Placement System. The CSSPS identified approximately 565,000 candidates as eligible for placement, while those who failed either English Language or Mathematics were excluded from the process.
3 September 2026 · Joy Online →
About 252,000 of approximately 620,000 candidates who sat the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination achieved aggregates between 6 and 24, according to the Computerised School Selection and Placement System. Of the candidates, about 565,000 qualified for placement, with approximately 55,000 expected to be excluded because they failed either English Language or Mathematics.
3 September 2026 · Joy Online →
The Computerised School Selection and Placement System reported that 17 per cent of the 620,000 candidates who sat the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination obtained aggregates of 6–18, translating to approximately 107,000 candidates. About 565,000 candidates qualified for placement into second-cycle institutions while approximately 55,000 will not be placed.
3 September 2026 · Joy Online →
About 55,000 candidates who sat the 2026 BECE will not qualify for placement into second-cycle institutions after failing either English Language or Mathematics, according to the Coordinator of the Computerised School Selection and Placement System. The CSSPS reported that approximately 565,000 out of 620,000 candidates qualified for placement.
3 September 2026 · Joy Online →
The Institute for Education Studies executive director says the Stanine Grading System used for BECE placement is conceptually appropriate because it enables fair comparison and ranking of candidates for limited school places, though he argues for periodic evaluation of its effectiveness and consideration of more precise scoring methods.
27 August 2026 · Joy Online →
The Campaign Against Privatisation and Commercialisation of Education has rejected allegations that private school candidates were deliberately marked down in the 2026 BECE, describing such claims as misleading and cautioning that they could undermine public confidence in the examination system. CAPCOE said the marking process involves multiple quality-assurance layers and noted that candidates' schools are identified by codes rather than names on scripts.
14 August 2026 · Joy Online →