The Ministry of Education has extended the 2026 Senior High School placement exercise by one week to give students with unresolved placement issues additional time to secure schools ahead of the reopening of schools on September 18.
The extension was announced as the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) continues to address outstanding cases involving students who have not yet secured placements or need assistance with their placement arrangements.
Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, is overseeing the placement process, with the Ministry working through resolution centres across the country to address cases brought forward by students and their parents. The centres are expected to remain open from Monday to Friday during the extension period.
According to the Ministry, 53,887 students are eligible for self-placement, while 33,726 of them had already successfully secured placements at various schools as of the latest update.
The figures indicate that a significant number of students have been able to resolve their placement status through the self-placement process.
The CSSPS Secretariat has also received 9,948 cases at resolution centres, of which 4,531 had been resolved. Authorities say the additional time is intended to help reduce the number of outstanding cases before students are expected to report to school.
The 2026 placement exercise covers candidates who completed the Basic Education Certificate Examination and are seeking admission into Senior High Schools, Senior High Technical Schools and Technical and Vocational institutions.
The official CSSPS platform allows candidates who are not automatically placed to select from schools with available vacancies through self-placement.
The extension comes against the backdrop of wider concerns over the placement system. Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has previously acknowledged challenges with the CSSPS and said reforms were being pursued to make the process more transparent and ensure that school admissions are based on merit.
The Ministry has also warned school heads against admitting students outside the approved CSSPS process. Mr Iddrisu directed heads of SHS, Senior High Technical Schools and Technical and Vocational Institutions not to carry out manual admissions, warning that school heads who breach the directive could face sanctions.
The Ministry has further cautioned parents and students against relying on fake or digitally manipulated placement slips circulating on social media.
It has urged candidates to verify their placement information through official CSSPS channels and avoid unverified claims about changes to their school placements.
With the extension now providing an additional week, students who remain without placements or have unresolved cases are expected to use the official CSSPS channels and resolution centres to complete the necessary processes before the September 18 reopening.
The Ministry says it remains focused on resolving as many outstanding cases as possible before students report to school.
