GES Opens 2026 CSSPS School Choice Upload – Heads of Basic Schools Have 3 Days

GES Opens the 2026 CSSPS School Choice Upload Portal. Heads of Basic Schools Have 3 Days To Complete the Uploading of Data On All Students.

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has issued an urgent directive to heads of basic schools to upload the school choices of candidates for the 2026 Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS).

According to a GES notice dated August 18, 2026, all Regional Directors of Education have been requested to ensure that Heads of Basic Schools upload candidates’ school choices onto the CSSPS portal for pre-testing.

The exercise is scheduled to run from Wednesday, August 19 to Friday, August 21, 2026, ahead of the opening of the school-choice selection portal for the final examination processing by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).

The directive is part of preparations to ensure that candidates’ choices are captured correctly and processed on time. This selection stage feeds into the wider CSSPS placement process for successful BECE candidates.

GES Director-General Professor Ernest K. Davis signed the notice, which was addressed to all Regional Directors of Education. The Service provided a clear procedure for Heads of Basic Schools to follow.

According to the notice, school heads are expected to log on to the CSSPS portal, click on “Choice Confirmations,” enter each candidate’s Index Number and Date of Birth, and then click “Edit” to input the candidate’s selection. They must then carefully verify the selections before submitting them.

The verification stage is particularly important. A mistake in a candidate’s school choice can create difficulties later in the placement process, making it essential for school authorities to review the information before final submission.

The 2026 CSSPS process has already undergone significant changes. The GES previously announced that candidates would select eight schools instead of seven, including two Category A schools — one boarding and one day school within the candidate’s vicinity — as part of reforms aimed at improving placement outcomes.

The GES has explained that the revised selection arrangement is intended to address challenges experienced in previous placement exercises and give candidates greater flexibility while improving the efficiency of the placement process. Earlier reporting also indicated that the 2026 selection exercise was designed to allow candidates to make choices after completing the BECE and accessing their performance information.

With the three-day pre-testing exercise now underway, heads of basic schools are expected to treat the directive as a priority and ensure that candidates’ choices are accurately uploaded and verified within the stated period.

The notice also provides contact numbers for enquiries, clarification and technical assistance, indicating that the Service expects schools to seek help where necessary rather than risk submitting inaccurate information.

For parents and candidates, the immediate message is simple: school choices are entering a critical stage. Candidates should liaise closely with their schools and ensure that the choices they have made are accurately reflected before the process moves to the next stage.

The GES is counting on the cooperation of school authorities to support a smooth and timely 2026 CSSPS placement process.