GES has activated the WAEC portal for 2026 BECE school placement. Schools must upload candidates’ school choices from August 24 to 27, 2026.

By Ferdinand Ellis | EducateGhana.com
Published: August 24, 2026
Updated: August 24, 2026

Article Information

Editor’s Note: This report is based on the GES directive dated August 24, 2026, referenced GES/S&ID/MSCL/2026/273, as supplied to EducateGhana.com. The portal address and dates below should be treated in accordance with that directive.

Introduction

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has directed Junior High Schools across the country to begin the capture and uploading of school selection data for the 2026 BECE School Placement exercise.

According to a directive dated August 24, 2026, the WAEC portal has been opened for the exercise from Monday, August 24 to Thursday, August 27, 2026.

The directive, referenced GES/S&ID/MSCL/2026/273, requires Heads of JHSs, proprietors, Metro, Municipal and District Directors of Education, and examination coordinators to ensure that the school choices of eligible 2026 BECE candidates are accurately captured, verified and submitted.

This development moves the 2026 BECE School Placement process into another important stage following the earlier collection and uploading of candidates’ preferred schools.

2026 BECE School Placement: WAEC Portal Opens Today

The WAEC portal for capturing the school selection information is scheduled to remain open for four days, beginning Monday, August 24 and ending Thursday, August 27, 2026.

Schools are expected to use the period to capture and upload the required information for candidates who participated in the 2026 BECE.

The portal identified in the directive is:

The short window means that schools have been asked to treat the exercise as urgent and ensure that eligible candidates are not left out because of delays in data capture or submission.

➡ Related: 2026 BECE School Selection Guidelines for Candidates and Parents
➡ Related: 2026 BECE School Placement: How CSSPS Selection Works

GES Gives JHS Heads Immediate Instructions

The directive places a significant responsibility on Heads of Junior High Schools.

Headteachers who have not completed the uploading of candidates’ school choices on the CSSPS portal for pre-testing are required to complete that process by close of work on Monday, August 24, 2026.

After completing the CSSPS stage, the schools are expected to proceed with the capture and uploading of the relevant information on the WAEC portal.

This means that schools that have delayed the earlier CSSPS data-entry exercise now face an immediate deadline.

The exercise is particularly important because errors in candidate information or school choices can affect subsequent stages of the placement process.

➡ Related: CSSPS School Placement in Ghana: Complete Guide
➡ Related: BECE School Selection: How Candidates Should Choose SHS Programmes

Who Is Responsible for the 2026 BECE School Choices Upload?

The GES directive identifies several groups responsible for ensuring the exercise is successfully completed.

They include:

1. JHS Headteachers
2. Proprietors of private JHSs
3. Metro Directors of Education
4. Municipal Directors of Education
5. District Directors of Education
6. Examination Coordinators

At the school level, the Headteacher or proprietor is expected to ensure that the information of eligible candidates is properly captured and submitted.

At the district and municipal levels, education authorities are expected to supervise the process and address challenges that may arise.

This arrangement places responsibility at both the school and administrative levels rather than leaving the process entirely to individual candidates or parents.

➡ Related: GES Responsibilities in BECE and CSSPS School Placement
➡ Related: Ghana Education Service: Latest BECE and SHS Placement Updates

New WAEC Portal Feature Allows Multiple Computers

One of the notable instructions in the latest directive concerns the use of the WAEC portal by schools with large numbers of candidates.

According to GES, the portal permits the same school identification and password to be used simultaneously on multiple computers.

The arrangement is intended to help schools with large candidate populations work on the data concurrently.

For example, a school with several hundred candidates may be able to assign multiple computers to different personnel to facilitate faster data capture, subject to the school’s internal controls.

This feature could reduce delays during the four-day exercise, particularly for schools that have large numbers of BECE candidates.

Schools should, however, ensure that only authorised personnel handle candidate information and that all entries are carefully checked before final submission.

➡ Related: How Schools Should Verify BECE Candidate Data Before Submission
➡ Related: Common CSSPS and BECE School Selection Errors to Avoid

GES Directs Districts to Monitor the Exercise

The directive also places responsibility on Metro, Municipal and District Directors of Education and examination coordinators.

They have been directed to closely supervise and monitor the exercise to ensure that the information of all eligible candidates is captured.

The supervision is expected to cover the capture, verification and submission stages.

This is important because the school selection data submitted at this stage forms part of the information required for the subsequent placement process.

GES therefore wants education authorities to ensure that schools complete the exercise within the prescribed period.

What Parents and 2026 BECE Candidates Should Do

Parents and candidates should understand that the current exercise is primarily a school-level data capture and submission exercise.

Parents should therefore contact the JHS where their child wrote the BECE and confirm that the child’s school choices have been properly captured.

Where a parent had previously participated in the school selection process with the candidate, the choices should be checked against the information being submitted by the school.

Parents should pay particular attention to:

• Candidate’s full name
• BECE index or identification details
• School choices
• Order of school preferences
• Programme or course selections where applicable
• Candidate’s personal information
• Any other information required by the portal

Parents should raise discrepancies with the school immediately rather than waiting until the final placement results are released.

➡ Related: 2026 BECE School Placement: What Parents Need to Know
➡ Related: How to Check CSSPS Placement Results When Released

Why the School Selection Upload Matters

The school selection stage is one of the most important stages in Ghana’s transition from basic education to second-cycle education.

The information submitted by schools becomes part of the data used in the placement process.

An incorrect school choice, wrong candidate information or failure to submit required data within the prescribed period can create difficulties later in the placement process.

For this reason, schools should not treat the current exercise as a routine administrative task.

Every candidate’s information should be checked before submission.

The responsibility is particularly important for candidates who have carefully selected schools based on programme availability, accommodation arrangements, location, academic interests and other considerations.

➡ Related: Complete 2026 BECE to SHS Transition Guide
➡ Related: Category A, B and C SHSs in Ghana: What Parents Should Know

2026 BECE Placement Timeline: What Happens Next?

The opening of the WAEC portal does not mean that the final CSSPS placement results are immediately available.

The current stage concerns the capture, verification and submission of school selection information.

The broader placement process involves several stages, including data processing, application of placement rules, matching candidates to available spaces and the eventual release of placement results.

Parents should therefore distinguish between school choice submission and final school placement.

GES has not indicated in the directive supplied for this report that the final 2026 CSSPS placement results are being released at this stage.

EducateGhana.com will continue to monitor official announcements concerning the subsequent stages of the placement exercise.

Important Deadline for Schools

The most immediate deadlines contained in the directive are:

Monday, August 24, 2026

JHS Heads who have not completed the required CSSPS school-choice uploading for pre-testing are expected to complete that process by close of work.

August 24 to August 27, 2026

The WAEC portal is scheduled to remain open for the capture and uploading of the 2026 BECE school selection data.

Thursday, August 27, 2026

The four-day WAEC portal window is scheduled to close.

Schools should therefore avoid waiting until the final hours to complete the exercise.

GES Directive Signed by Schools and Instructions Division

The directive was issued by the Schools and Instructions Division (Secondary) of the Ghana Education Service.

It was signed by Mr Prince C. Agyemang-Duah, Director, Schools and Instructions Division (Secondary), for the Director-General.

The communication was addressed to the relevant education authorities and examination officials responsible for supporting the 2026 BECE school placement process.

Its central instruction is that schools should ensure the accurate and timely capture of the school choices of eligible candidates.

EducateGhana.com Advice to Parents and Schools

The immediate priority for schools is accuracy and completion.

JHS Heads should ensure that:

1. All eligible 2026 BECE candidates are captured.
2. Candidates’ school choices correspond with the selections made.
3. Candidate information is carefully checked.
4. Required CSSPS pre-testing uploads are completed.
5. WAEC portal submissions are completed within the four-day window.
6. District and municipal education authorities are informed of any technical or administrative difficulty.
7. Parents are informed promptly where clarification of a candidate’s choices is required.

Parents should also avoid relying on WhatsApp messages or unofficial social media claims about placement dates.

The final placement release date should be confirmed by GES or CSSPS through an official communication.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the 2026 BECE school placement process open?

The school-choice data capture and uploading exercise is scheduled to begin on August 24, 2026, according to the GES directive supplied to EducateGhana.com.

When does the WAEC portal close?

The directive states that the portal will be available from August 24 to August 27, 2026.

Which portal will schools use?

The directive identifies the WAEC CASS Internet Solution portal:

Who should upload the school choices?

The exercise concerns JHS Heads and proprietors, with supervision from Metro, Municipal and District Directors of Education and examination coordinators.

Can the same school account be used on multiple computers?

According to the GES directive, the WAEC portal allows the same school ID and password to be used simultaneously on multiple computers.

Are the 2026 BECE placement results out?

No final placement results are indicated in the directive. The current exercise concerns the capture and submission of candidates’ school selection data.

What should parents do now?

Parents should contact their child’s JHS to confirm that the candidate’s selected schools have been correctly captured and submitted.

Conclusion

The Ghana Education Service has activated another important stage in the 2026 BECE School Placement process, with schools directed to capture and upload candidates’ school selection data through the WAEC portal.

The exercise is scheduled for August 24 to August 27, 2026, giving schools a limited four-day window to complete the process.

For parents, the most important step is to confirm with their child’s JHS that the school choices previously made have been accurately captured.

For schools, the priority should be timely submission, careful verification and compliance with the GES directive.

EducateGhana.com will continue to provide updates on the 2026 BECE School Placement process, including the CSSPS placement release date, checking procedures, self-placement, placement statistics and guidelines for candidates who are not initially matched.

Source and APA Reference

Ghana Education Service. (2026, August 24). Directive on the capture and uploading of 2026 BECE school selection data (Ref. GES/S&ID/MSCL/2026/273). Schools and Instructions Division (Secondary), Ghana Education Service.

Suggested APA citation for this EducateGhana.com article:

Ellis, F. (2026, August 24). GES activates WAEC portal for 2026 BECE school placement: School choices upload begins today. EducateGhana.com.

Category: Exams → BECE

Author: Ferdinand Ellis
Publisher: EducateGhana.com, Ghana’s Education Intelligence Platform