The Conference of Heads of Private Second-Cycle Schools (CHOPSS) has offered a lifeline to 54,985 candidates who failed to secure placement into Senior High Schools (SHS) under the 2026 Computerised School Selection and Placement System.

In a press statement issued on September 3, 2026, CHOPSS said its member schools across the country are ready to admit the affected candidates and provide them with the opportunity to continue their second-cycle education.

“Private Second-Cycle Schools across the country are ready and willing to absorb these students and provide them with quality second-cycle education and the opportunity to pursue their academic aspirations,” the statement said.

CHOPSS recalled that before the introduction of the Free SHS policy in 2017, private second-cycle schools routinely absorbed candidates who fell outside the cut-off points for admission into public institutions, giving many of them a second chance to pursue their education.

According to the organisation, several students who took that alternative pathway went on to improve academically, gain admission to tertiary institutions in Ghana and abroad, and eventually contribute to the development of the country.

The association acknowledged that Free SHS has had different effects on private second-cycle schools but maintained that the institutions still have the capacity and experience to support students who have not secured public-school placement.

CHOPSS has therefore called on its accredited member schools to consider offering discounted and affordable fees, where possible, to make private second-cycle education accessible to more affected families.

“Not securing placement into a public Free SHS institution should not be interpreted as the end of a child's educational journey. Rather, it should be viewed as an opportunity for the affected students to explore alternative pathways,” it stated.

The association also urged parents and guardians not to despair, encouraging them to contact accredited CHOPSS member schools in their respective areas to enquire about available programmes, admission opportunities and applicable fees.

CHOPSS said its Secretariat is available to provide information on accredited private second-cycle schools and assist parents in identifying institutions within their catchment areas.

The association expressed confidence that the collaboration between private schools, parents, guardians and other education stakeholders could turn the current placement challenge into an opportunity for the affected candidates to secure “a new beginning and a brighter future.”