The West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates for this year will take place from Monday, July 31 to September 26, 2023, while the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) for both school and private candidates will be written simultaneously from Monday, August 7 to Friday, August 11, 2023.
The schedule for both exit examinations for final-year students of senior high schools (SHSs) and junior high schools (JHS) has been brought forward by a month compared to the schedule for 2022.
The Head of Public Affairs of WAEC, Agnes Teye-Cudjoe, clarified that the schedule, particularly for the WASSCE, would be for candidates in Ghana.
Mrs Teye-Cudjoe announced that the portal for the registration of eligible candidates for the WASSCE for school candidates had been opened and would close on Wednesday, April 19, 2023.
The council had also held briefing sessions nationwide for the authorities of 978 schools who were expected to present candidates for the examination.
She urged candidates to ensure their bio-data are captured correctly and that any amendment of their date of birth, re-arrangement/addition or subtraction of names, will not be entertained after the release of the final results and printing of certificates.
Mrs Teye-Cudjoe also cautioned schools against committing illegalities, such as advertising the examination in any form and registering students who were not in their final year, and she noted that it was an offense to register “remedial” students who had previously written the WASSCE SC and joined some public/accredited private schools in form three for examination purposes only. The approved WAEC registration fee for entry in seven or eight subjects was GH¢381.24, and that the figure was exclusive of the fees for practical or oral tests.
Regarding the BECE for school and private candidates, Mrs Teye-Cudjoe stated that the council would hold briefing sessions for all stakeholders who would be involved in the registration of candidates from the respective schools, adding that the sessions would focus on the guidelines and requirements for the registration process.
Mrs Teye-Cudjoe urged candidates and their parents or guardians to take note of the registration procedures, which included the correct spelling and arrangement of names, confirmation of date of birth, and the proper capturing of candidates’ photographs.
She also emphasized that the registration of non-school or unqualified candidates, as well as the falsification of continuous assessment scores, were illegal and punishable by de-recognition of the affected school, disciplinary action, and withholding of results.
In conclusion, Mrs Teye-Cudjoe urged all stakeholders to comply with the rules and regulations governing the WASSCE and BECE examinations, and to report any illegalities or irregularities to the appropriate authorities.