Free SHS Secretariat Online Portal

Discover the Free Senior High School (SHS) Secretariat Online Portal via www.freeshs.net and learn more about school register, Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) procedures for BECE candidates as well as watch complete video guidelines.

Table of Contents

What is Free SHS

Free SHS simply means every child in Ghana who qualifies for and is placed in a public Senior High School for his secondary education will have his/her fees absorbed by the government.

BECE Candidates Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) Guidelines, 2022

This guides Junior High School (JHS) BECE candidates and their parents/guardians to choose schools they would want to attend after Junior High School. It contains details of the programmes offered in each of the schools/institutes. You will also see the cluster of schools being introduced aiming at placing every qualified BECE candidate to enjoy the government Free SHS programme.

What is a School Register?

All Second Cycle Institutions in Ghana have been put into 4 categories. Namely, category A, B C & D. Each of these categories has several schools listed under them. These could be Senior High Schools (SHS), Senior High Technical Schools (SHTS) or Technical Institutes (TVET) across the country.

Categories of Senior High School (SHS) in Ghana

SN	Categories	SHS	SHTS	TVI	TOTAL
1	A	48	5	33	86
2	B	178	50	36	264
3	C	280	138	143	561
	TOTAL	506	193	212	911

What is New About Free SHS CSSPS?

Introduction of cluster-based schools: These are similar schools that belong to the same category which candidates may comfortably accept as alternative schools to their initial choices
Absorption of 212 Technical Institutes
Inclusion of 5 Newly constructed STEM Schools
Opportunity to select low-enrolment schools as boarding in the 6^th

Watch Complete Free SHS Selection and Placement Video Guidelines

Grades and Subjects for School Placement

Six (6) subjects are used for computerized Schools Selection and Placement (CSSPS) for BECE candidates: (Four core + Two Best Electives).

Core Subjects	Elective Subjects
English	I.C.T
Mathematics	Ghanaian Language
Integrated Science	French
Social Studies	B.D.T
	R.M.E

NB: In the event of a tie over row scores of candidates are used to break the tie.

CSSPS Portal

BECE candidates who are not placed in any SHS after CSSPS Placement can use this self-placement module to place themselves from the list of schools with vacancies.

To use the Self Placement Module, Go to CSSPS Portal and follow these guideline.

Mode of SHS School Selection and Placement

The mode of selection of schools differs in terms of categories of candidates
School candidates select their schools and forward them to their District Education Offices through their JHS Heads
Private candidates must select their school choices online via https://www.waecinternetsolution.org
Foreign students must purchase foreign students’ application forms online, and fill and submit them to the CSSPS/FreeSHS/TVET Secretariat.

CSSPS Verification Portal

As part of measures to ensure a smooth placement, the Free SHS Secretariat will be made available the choices of schools selection by Each BECE candidate via SMS, USSD messaging as well as CSSPS Verification and Confirmation Portal.

Besides, parents or candidates are to check and ensure the selected schools, courses, residential status, and gender are all correct by using this shortcode or via the CSSPS Verify Portal or Explore https csspsverify com.

NB: If what you filled in at school is not what has been captured in the system, notify for corrections through your JHS head.

How to Select Best School Choices for Placement

Candidates must choose six (6) schools in all – the 1^st to 6^th choices
Candidates must select programmes and accommodations for each select school.
Candidates must choose a compulsory day as the 6^th choice from the Catchment Area (SHS near your previous school) or choose a boarding school from the list of schools in Appendix 3.
Candidates must indicate “YES” or “NO” to accept or decline to opt for a cluster.
Candidates must not indicate any cluster for the 6^th choice.
Candidates who wish to offer purely TVET programmes must select all 6 TVETs schools from CATEGORY A, B, and C as Day or Boarding.
Candidates cannot choose more than 1 school from Category A.
Candidates cannot select more than 2 schools from Category B
Candidates may select 5 choices from Category C and 1 from Category D (Day) or Appendix 3 (Special Boarding).