The Ghana Education Service (GES) has announced the commencement of the 2026 school selection entries and upload for BECE candidates into the WAEC system as part of preparations for the 2026 school placement exercise.
According to a directive issued by the GES, the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) portal has been activated to enable Junior High Schools (JHSs) to capture and upload candidates’ school selection data for the 2026 placement exercise. The portal will be available from Monday, 24 August to Thursday, 27 August 2026.
WAEC Portal Activated for School Selection Data
The exercise is intended to facilitate the online capturing and uploading of the school choices of eligible BECE candidates into the WAEC system.
GES has directed all Heads of Junior High Schools to ensure that the school choices of their candidates are properly captured and uploaded within the stipulated period. Headteachers who have not yet completed the uploading of candidates’ school choices on the CSSPS portal for pre-testing are required to complete that process by the close of work on Monday, 24 August 2026 before proceeding to capture and upload the data on the WAEC portal.
Schools Can Use Multiple Computers
One of the important features highlighted by the GES is that the WAEC portal permits the same school ID and password to be used simultaneously on multiple computers.
This facility is expected to be particularly useful to schools with large numbers of BECE candidates. Such schools can have several computers working concurrently to capture and upload candidates’ school selection information, helping to make the exercise faster and more efficient.
Headteachers and school administrators are therefore encouraged to take advantage of this facility to avoid delays and ensure that all eligible candidates are captured within the period provided by GES.
District Education Directorates to Monitor Exercise
The GES has also tasked Metro, Municipal and District Directors of Education, together with Examination Coordinators, to closely supervise and monitor the exercise.
Their responsibility includes ensuring that the data of all eligible candidates are properly captured, verified and submitted within the stipulated period.
This directive is particularly important because errors or omissions in candidates’ school selection data could affect the subsequent stages of the placement process. Schools are therefore expected to carefully check the information entered before final submission.
Regional Directors Asked to Ensure Compliance
Regional Directors of Education have been requested to communicate the directive to all relevant schools and ensure strict compliance with the timelines.
The exercise forms part of the preparations towards the 2026 Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) process, through which eligible BECE candidates will eventually be placed into senior high schools and other participating institutions based on the applicable placement arrangements.
Important Dates for Headteachers
Headteachers and school administrators should take note of the following key dates:
- Monday, 24 August 2026: Deadline for completing the uploading of candidates’ school choices on the CSSPS portal for pre-testing.
- Monday, 24 August 2026: WAEC portal opens for capturing and uploading school selection data.
- Thursday, 27 August 2026: WAEC portal closes for the current school selection data capture and upload exercise.
Schools are encouraged not to wait until the final day before completing the exercise. Early completion will allow Headteachers and other responsible officers sufficient time to review, verify and correct any errors before the portal closes.
GES Urges Schools to Ensure Accurate Data
The successful placement of BECE candidates depends significantly on the accuracy of the information submitted during the school selection process. Headteachers are therefore expected to pay particular attention to candidates’ details and selected schools during the data entry and verification stages.
The GES has directed the relevant education authorities to ensure that all eligible candidates are duly captured, verified and submitted within the stipulated period.
The activation of the WAEC portal from 24 to 27 August 2026 therefore marks an important stage in the preparations for the 2026 placement exercise. Schools, Headteachers, Examination Coordinators and Education Directorate officials are expected to work together to ensure that the exercise is completed accurately and on time.
Keep following GH Educate for the latest news and updates
