About 55,000 candidates who sat the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) will not qualify for placement into Senior High Schools (SHSs) and Senior High Technical Schools, after failing to meet the basic requirement in either English Language or Mathematics.

The figure means that out of approximately 620,000 candidates who took the examination, about 565,000 candidates have qualified to participate in the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) exercise.

The Coordinator of the CSSPS, Sherif Sulemana, disclosed the figures while explaining the criteria being used to determine candidates’ eligibility for placement.

“Based on our analysis, we have about 565,000 qualified for placement this year,” he said.

He explained that the key requirement was that candidates must not fail either of the two core subjects—English Language and Mathematics.

“You are disqualified from placement if you have failed either English or Mathematics,” Mr Sulemana stated.

55,000 excluded from placement

Based on the CSSPS analysis, approximately 55,000 candidates will be excluded from the placement exercise because they did not meet the minimum requirement in either English Language or Mathematics.

The development means that nearly nine out of every 10 candidates who sat the 2026 BECE have met the basic eligibility requirement for consideration for second-cycle education, while roughly one in 11 candidates will not proceed to the placement stage under the stated criteria.

The figures come as education authorities prepare to place successful BECE candidates into Senior High Schools and Senior High Technical Schools across the country.

Mr Sulemana stressed that qualification for placement should not be determined solely by looking at the standardised grades awarded to candidates.

Raw scores determine failure

He explained that the CSSPS also considered candidates’ raw scores in determining whether they had passed or failed the relevant subjects.

This clarification is significant because candidates who obtain Grade 9 under the standardised grading system may not necessarily have failed solely on the basis of the grade displayed.

According to Mr Sulemana, the underlying raw scores are also examined in 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 explained.

He said the assessment therefore went beyond simply considering the aggregate or standardised grade assigned to a candidate.

The approach is intended to ensure that candidates entering the placement process have demonstrated the minimum required level of performance in the two critical subjects.

Only 17% achieve aggregates 6-18

The performance figures also reveal a relatively small proportion of candidates achieving the higher aggregates.

Mr Sulemana disclosed that only about 17% of candidates obtained aggregates ranging from 6 to 18.

In absolute terms, that represents approximately 107,000 candidates out of the nearly 620,000 who sat the examination.

“If you look at the data on the performance of the candidates, we only had about 17% of the candidates getting from aggregate six to 18. In absolute figures, you are talking about 107,000,” he said.

The aggregate range of 6 to 18 represents the group with the strongest overall performance under the examination’s aggregate classification.

The figures nevertheless show that the overwhelming majority of candidates fell outside that range, underscoring the wide variation in performance among the 2026 BECE cohort.

252,000 record aggregates 6-24

A broader performance category shows that approximately 252,000 candidates, representing about 35% of the total candidates, obtained aggregates ranging from 6 to 24.

Mr Sulemana said: “We only had about 252,000, or about 35 per cent of the candidates, getting from aggregate 6 to 24.”

The figures provide an indication of the performance distribution among candidates and will be important as the placement process unfolds.

While 107,000 candidates, or about 17%, were within the 6-18 aggregate range, the number increased to approximately 252,000, or 35%, when the range was extended to aggregate 24.

This means that a substantial proportion of candidates recorded aggregates outside the two ranges highlighted by the CSSPS Coordinator.

English and Mathematics remain critical

The emphasis on English Language and Mathematics in determining placement eligibility places the two subjects at the centre of the 2026 placement exercise.

According to the CSSPS, candidates who fail either subject do not qualify for placement, irrespective of their performance in other subjects.

Mr Sulemana reiterated that the rule was not based on whether candidates had performed well in other areas of the examination, but specifically on whether they had avoided failing either of the two subjects.

“Those people have not failed in either English or Mathematics. So, you are disqualified from placement if you have failed in either English or Mathematics,” he said.

The requirement effectively makes performance in the two subjects a gateway to the placement process.

Call centres activated

Meanwhile, the CSSPS has activated its call centres to assist candidates and parents with complaints and other difficulties that may arise during the placement exercise.

The move is aimed particularly at candidates and parents who may face difficulties travelling to regional resolution centres to have their concerns addressed.

Mr Sulemana said candidates living in districts far from regional centres would not necessarily have to travel long distances to seek 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 arrangement is expected to provide an additional channel through which parents and candidates can obtain assistance and resolve placement-related challenges.

Placement exercise ahead

With approximately 620,000 candidates having sat the 2026 BECE, the CSSPS expects about 565,000 to qualify for consideration for placement into Senior High Schools and Senior High Technical Schools.

Approximately 55,000 candidates, however, are expected to remain outside the placement exercise because they failed either English Language or Mathematics.

The performance data also show that only 17%, or about 107,000 candidates, obtained aggregates between 6 and 18, while approximately 35%, representing 252,000 candidates, obtained aggregates between 6 and 24.

The figures highlight the scale of the 2026 placement exercise and the varying academic performance among candidates.

For the 565,000 qualified candidates, the next stage will be the selection and placement process, while the CSSPS call centres and resolution mechanisms will provide support to parents and candidates who encounter difficulties.

The exercise is therefore expected to be closely watched by thousands of families as candidates move from basic education into the next stage of their academic careers.