For the first time since the inception of the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS), 171,376 candidates have been promptly placed in second cycle schools.

The figure represents 98.8 per cent candidates out of a total of 172,359 who qualified for placement based on vacancies declared in senior high schools (SHSs) and technical institutes (TIs).

This means, there are just 228 qualified candidates on the waiting list for the second round of placement, which is expected to be out by October 20 after the heads of schools have declared vacancies.

In all, 388,000 candidates sat for the 2010 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

Last year a total of 395,650 candidates wrote the BECE with 177,397 candidates, representing 88 per cent, being successfully placed based on vacancies declared by heads of SHSs and technical institutes (TIs).

In a press briefing on the 2010 placement exercise, the acting Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Ms Benedicta Naana Biney, explained that the 228 candidates were not placed because they chose schools without boarding facilities that could cater for candidates from outside the districts while some of them could not meet the cut-off points of their six chosen schools.

Ms Biney stated that the guidelines for the 2010 placement was based on five subjects.

"For the SHS category, the subjects comprised English Language, Mathematics, Integrated Science, Social Studies and one other best elective subject of the candidate.

Candidates for the TIs need English Language, Mathematics, Integrated Science, Basic Design and Technology and one other best elective subject," she explained.

She further explained that the raw scores of candidates were used for the placement instead of the grades of the candidates and appealed to parents to exercise patience when their children did not get their first choice schools as the raw scores might make their grades weaker.

According to her, efforts have been made to address the challenges that affected the smooth placement of qualified candidates in the past, such as wrong choice of school codes and gender.

"Currently, some of the problems emanating are the request of parents for transfer of candidates on grounds of change of work, health, death of parent or guardian, financial hardship, false declaration of result slips and special request for same sex twins to be in the same school regardless of their performances," she said.

The fresh students are expected to be in school by October 15 while continuing students are to return by September 30.