Examiners in the Bono Region are raising concerns over the repeated delays in receiving their compensation for marking the 2023 West African Examinations Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
Despite diligently carrying out their duties and the subsequent release of results, these examiners find themselves in limbo, awaiting their rightful remuneration.
According to them, the delay in payment has become a repeated issue, prompting examiners to advocate for a change in the current compensation system.
Despite the release of the 2023 WASSCE results by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), examiners report that they are still awaiting their due compensation, adding a layer of frustration to their responsibilities.
“I started marking in 2010, and everything was okay until recent times; the payments are not forthcoming. We have to wait for many weeks or even months before we are paid. That is my concern, that is what we are going through now as examiners,” expressed one examiner, highlighting the growing dissatisfaction among those involved in the marking process.
Another examiner voiced similar sentiments, stating, “In fact, I’m even fed up, to tell you the truth. I’m getting fed up because this is not the first time they are doing this. They have been delaying our payments for about two years now.”
Examiners stressed the need for transparency and effective communication in the employer-employee relationship, expressing frustration at the lack of timely information regarding their compensation. Some examiners revealed that when inquiring about their payments, they were informed that the government had not released the necessary funds to WAEC.
Although WAEC officials at the Sunyani office declined on-camera comments, they acknowledged the outstanding payments owed to the examiners. Assurances were given that the examiners would receive their compensation promptly once the government released the funds.
The delay in compensating examiners raises concerns about the effectiveness of the current system and its impact on the morale of those involved in the examination process. As the examiners await their due compensation, calls for a more efficient and timely payment process resonate among the educational community in the Bono Region.
Executive Director of Africa Education Watch, Kofi Asare, has called upon the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to swiftly conclude its investigation into the withheld West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results.
The urgency of resolving this matter has been emphasized amid concerns and uncertainties surrounding the fate of affected students.
Not only has WAEC retained the subject results of 4,280 candidates in the 2023 WASSCE, but it has also withheld the complete results of 1,005 candidates due to suspected offenses.
Mr. Asare voiced apprehension regarding the prolonged withholding of results for candidates from 235 schools, making up about 20% of the overall number of Senior High Schools (SHS) in Ghana.
He highlighted that Osei Kyeretwie Senior High School (OKESS) in Kumasi, a public school, is among the impacted institutions, with the withholding of core subject results for all candidates.
While acknowledging that WAEC may have valid reasons for withholding results due to alleged irregularities, Asare emphasized the importance of due process.
He stated the potential challenges faced by innocent candidates whose results are pending investigations, particularly regarding tertiary admissions.
With tertiary admissions expected to conclude soon, Kofi Asare urged WAEC to conclude its investigations promptly to ensure fairness for all candidates.
In reference to Eduwatch’s 2021 WASSCE monitoring report, he recommended increased investments in consultants to expedite investigations into exam result issues before announcing WASSCE results.
He raised concerns about the potential unfairness of releasing results in stages, creating disparities among candidates in terms of tertiary admissions.
Asare shared a case from 2020 where a candidate took part in the National Maths and Science Quiz competition for Apam SHS but had results withheld with others for alleged irregularities.
He explained that despite being innocent, the candidate faced a delay in starting tertiary education, highlighting the need for a balanced approach between applying the law, delivering justice, and ensuring timely and fair outcomes.
As stakeholders await the resolution of these issues, the call for a balance between legal procedures and the timely delivery of justice remains crucial in enhancing WASSCE processes and outcomes.
Many parents whose wards have been affected are mounting pressure on school authorities particularly those in private schools.
The pressure has become so intense and depressing to some extent that some parents are threatening to sue the schools.
The Minority Spokesperson on Education, Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, has highlighted that the Ghanaian government’s indebtedness to the West African Examination Council (WAEC) is adversely affecting the organization’s operations.
Despite releasing both the BECE and WASSCE results, WAEC has reportedly not paid invigilators, examiners, and other service providers.
Nortsu-Kotoe, speaking in Parliament, revealed that funds had been released by the Finance Ministry to the Education Ministry to settle the debt, and he urged the Education Ministry to promptly clear the outstanding amount after the approval of GH₵29.5 billion for the Ministry’s 2024 expenditure.
“But interestingly, the Ministry of Finance indicated that they do not owe WAEC. That the sum of GH₵129,839,720 WAEC said they owe, the ministry of Finance said they did not owe that and that per their records they have released all monies to the Ministry of Education.
“So the committee has directed that the Minister for Finance or his representative, the Minister for Education and WAEC should meet the committee to resolve the matter. The one who represented the Ministry of Finance at the meeting indicated that for the WASCCE, they made it part of the amount released for the free SHS so on record they do not owe WAEC any sums of money.
“So we need to meet the Minister of Education, the Minister for Finance and WAEC to resolve the problem immediately,” he said.
Peter Nortsu-Kotoe further disclosed that Education Minister Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum confirmed to the Education Committee of Parliament that a piece of land designated for building an office for UNESCO in Accra had been sold to a private developer.
“We also realised that UNESCO, that is, United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation is one agency under the Ministry of Education and they’re housed in an obscure corner in the Ministry of Education.
“But unfortunately, the piece of land allocated for their office long time ago, Mr. Speaker, I made it known here the other time when we were debating the budget that the land had been sold. The Deputy Minister for Land and Natural Resources vehemently denied it.
“But at the meeting to discuss the budget we were told by the Minister of Education or he confirmed that the land had been sold and to a private individual, and he’s taking steps to retrieve the land for the Ministry of Education so that UNESCO can make use of that land,” he said.
WAEC’s provisional results for the WASSCE, released on Monday, December 18, 2023, indicate that Ghanaian students have achieved their best outcomes since the implementation of the Free SHS policy in September 2017.
The press release, dated December 18, 2023, and signed by John Kapi, WAEC’s head of public affairs, reports that a total of 448,674 candidates, comprising 212,453 males and 236,221 females from 975 schools, participated in the 2023 examination.
This figure reflects a 5.8% increase from the 2022 entry figure of 422,883. The results for the “Ghana-only version” of the examination highlight the best performances in English, Integrated Science, and Social Studies from 2015 to 2023 and the third-best results in Mathematics over the same period.
According to WAEC’s published data, the years 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 have seen over 50% of Free SHS graduates achieving aggregates A1 to C6 in all core subjects.
The data further reveals that the percentages recorded for English Language (73.11%), Integrated Science (66.82%), and Social Studies (76.76%) in the 2023 examinations represent the highest performances on record since 2015.
The examination was, however, not without irregularities. WAEC in their statement noted that “following the completion of investigations into some of the cases of irregularity reported during the conduct of the examination, the 35th Meeting of the Ghana Examinations Committee, held on Wednesday, 13 December 2023 approved as follows:”
“First, cancellation of subject results of 3,647 candidates for bringing foreign material like prepared notes, textbooks, and printed material into the examination halls.
“Second, the cancellation of the entire results of 839 candidates for possession of mobile phones in the examination halls, and lastly, the withholding of subject results of 4,280 candidates and the entire results of 1,005 for various suspected offenses” the WAEC statement read.
“Yet still, some subject results of candidates from 235 schools have been withheld for collusion and the use of artificial intelligence-generated answers. These cases are still under investigation. The withheld results of these candidates may be released or cancelled depending on the outcome of investigations” the statement further read.
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has provided clarification regarding the withholding of certain results from the 2023 West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE).
In an announcement on Monday, December 18, WAEC stated that subject results from 235 schools are under scrutiny due to candidates employing answers generated by artificial intelligence.
In addition to this, subject results for 4,280 candidates and the entire results for 1,005 candidates are being withheld due to suspected offenses.
The examination body has annulled the subject results of 3,647 candidates who introduced foreign materials, such as prepared notes, textbooks, and printed materials, into the examination halls.
Furthermore, the results of 839 candidates have been invalidated for possessing mobile phones during the examinations.
Decisions approved during the 35th meeting of the Ghana Examinations Committee on Wednesday, December 13, 2023, include:
Cancellation of Subject Results for 3,647 candidates who brought foreign materials into the examination halls.
Cancellation of Entire Results for 839 candidates caught with mobile phones in the examination halls.
Withholding of Subject Results for 4,280 candidates and Entire Results for 1,005 candidates for various suspected offenses, including collusion and the use of AI-generated answers.
WAEC has also taken measures against 4,878 candidates by blocking their results for failing to return learning support materials provided by their respective schools. Candidates affected by this action are advised to contact their schools for further guidance.
Check below for full details:
Read the statement by WAEC below
RELEASE OF PROVISIONAL RESULTS FOR THE WEST AFRICAN SENIOR SCHOOL CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION (WASSCE FOR SCHOOL CANDIDATES, 2023
The West African Examinations Council wishes to inform its numerous stakeholders that it has released provisional results of candidates who sat for the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2023 (Ghana Only Version). The Council will make available login details to heads of school to enable them access the results of their candidates.
The results have been hosted online and candidates who so desire may access their results at the Council’s website www.waecgh.org.
The results of 4,878 candidates have been blocked for failing to return learning support materials supplied to them by their schools. Such candidates are to contact their schools.
The Council would like to caution all its stakeholders to be wary of fraudsters who promise to upgrade results for a fee. Candidates are to note that WAEC results are secured and can be authenticated using its results verification system. The WAEC QR code can be downloaded and used to verify results.
PERFORMANCE STATISTICS A total number of 448,674 candidates made up of 212,453 males and 236,221 females from 975 schools entered for the examination. This figure is 5.8% higher than the 2022 entry figure of 422,883. A total number of 3,404 (0.75%) were absent from the examination.
The performance of candidates with respect to the four Core Subjects is shown in the tables below.
The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has cancelled the entire results of 839 West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) candidates for possessing mobile phones during the examination.
WAEC made this known after announcing the release of the provisional results for this year’s exams.
WAEC also reported the cancellation of subject results for 3,647 candidates due to the offense of “bringing foreign materials into the examination hall.”
Furthermore, the subject results of 4,280 candidates and the entire results of 1,005 have been withheld for various suspected offenses.
Results from candidates in 235 schools are also under scrutiny for collusion and the use of artificially generated answers through artificial intelligence.
According to WAEC, these cases are currently under investigation, and the release or cancellation of the withheld results will depend on the investigation outcomes.
Candidates can access their results online by visiting www.waecgh.org, as announced in a statement signed by the Head of Public Affairs, John Kapi.
The 2023 West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) provisional results have been unveiled by the West African Examination Council (WAEC).
Candidates can access their results online by visiting www.waecgh.org, as announced in a statement signed by the Head of Public Affairs, John Kapi.
However, 4,878 candidates who failed to return provided learning support materials are unable to access their results online. WAEC has blocked their results, and affected candidates are advised to contact their respective schools.
WAEC reported the cancellation of subject results for 3,647 candidates due to the offense of “bringing foreign materials into the examination hall.”
Additionally, the entire results of 839 candidates were cancelled for possessing mobile phones during the examination.
Furthermore, the subject results of 4,280 candidates and the entire results of 1,005 have been withheld for various suspected offenses.
Results from candidates in 235 schools are also under scrutiny for collusion and the use of artificially generated answers through artificial intelligence.
The statement indicates that these cases are currently under investigation, and the release or cancellation of the withheld results will depend on the investigation outcomes.
The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has released the results of 21,458 out of 22,270 candidates whose results were initially withheld due to mass cheating.
These candidates can check their placement starting from Monday, December 11, 2023.
However, the results of the remaining 812 candidates are still withheld.
The Public Relations Officer for the Ghana Education Service, Cassandra Twum Ampofo, explained that the cleared results have been processed, and candidates can now access their placements.
She stated, ‘’We have 21,458 thousand released and we have worked on them. So, by Monday if they check on the portal, they will see their placement. Initially all those candidates could not access their placement but now they can. Now we have 812 candidates whose results are yet to be released and we will work on that.”
In November, WAEC canceled the Subject Results of 312 school candidates and 3 private candidates due to reported cases of using foreign materials like prepared notes and textbooks during the examination.
The decision followed investigations into irregularities detected during the examination and marking of scripts.
WAEC disclosed that the 34th Meeting of the Final Awards and Examiners’ Appointment Committee for BECE, held on Monday, 6th November 2023, approved the cancellation of “the Entire Results of 41 school candidates and 1 private candidate for possession of mobile phones in the examination hall.”
Additionally, they withheld the “Subject Results of 180 school candidates and 4 private candidates for various suspected offences as well as the Entire Results of 110 school candidates and 2 private candidates for various suspected offences.”
The examination body is scrutinizing the scripts of 22,270 candidates in certain subjects for reported cases of mass cheating, with the possibility of canceling or releasing their results based on the outcome of investigations.
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has initiated investigations into over 2,000 candidates who participated in this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) due to suspected malpractice.
WAEC has opted to withhold the results of certain subjects for these candidates until the investigations are concluded.
The examination council disclosed on November 9, 2023, that the scripts of 22,270 candidates, across specific subjects, are currently under scrutiny for reported instances of widespread cheating.
This announcement came following the release of the provisional results for the 2023 BECE for both public schools and private candidates.
Candidates involved in the investigation have been summoned to WAEC’s offices to respond to questions regarding alleged irregularities detected during the exams. Concerned parents also accompanied the affected candidates to WAEC’s offices in the Ashanti Region to address the situation.
According to WAEC, their results may be cancelled or released based on the outcome of investigations.
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has announced that it will begin marking the 2023 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) scripts on Monday, October 9.
WAEC initiated the coordination process last Wednesday, which involved assembling the markers to acquaint them with the marking scheme, leading up to today.
John Kapi, the Head of Public Affairs at WAEC, confirmed this development and mentioned that the actual marking will start on October 9.
However, he highlighted that there had been challenges related to the release of funds for the script marking process, and if funds are not released in a timely manner, it could potentially affect the completion of the marking process.
“They will finish the coordination on Friday (today) and by Monday, October 9, the actual marking will start,” the Head of Public Affairs of WAEC, John Kapi, told the Daily Graphic yesterday.
“So we have started the process, but what we are saying is that if monies are not released, we may not be able to complete it,” he said.
Kapi clarified that despite concerns about the delay in marking this year’s examination papers, there was no strike action among the markers.
He noted that WAEC had met with the Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, who had assured them of funds release.
Earlier, there were concerns that the 2023 BECE might not be conducted due to the government’s financial obligations to WAEC.
However, the government subsequently released GH¢50.5 million to WAEC for the successful conduct of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the BECE. A significant portion of this amount was allocated to the WASSCE.
In terms of statistics, a total of 602,457 final-year junior high school (JHS) students across the country participated in the 2023 BECE.
This number represented an increase of 49,049 compared to the previous year. Out of this total, 600,714 were School Candidates (BECE-SC), and 1,743 took the BECE as Private Candidates (BECE-PC). The regional breakdown of candidates revealed variations in candidate numbers across different regions of Ghana.
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has indicated that it is awaiting the release of funds from the government to cover the costs of marking and releasing results for this year’s West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE).
Head of Public Affairs at WAEC, Mr. John K. Kapi, said the government had given WAEC GHC10.5million to start with the BECE and conveyed that the prompt allocation of funds would streamline the examination processes.
“That is what we have used for the examination. Now that the examination is over, we expect the release of some monies to be able to go through the marking process and the release of the results,” he said.
Mr. Kabi stated that the Council had a meeting with the Minister of Education, Dr Osei Adutwum, on September 25, 2023, where he acknowledged that the funds allocated to the Council were likely insufficient to cover the entire process and consequently instructed the Chief Director to take steps to secure additional funding.
But according to Mr Kapi, “as we speak now, no money has hit our accounts yet.”
He mentioned that WAEC had completed its preparatory tasks for the marking process and that the Council would commence coordinating its examiners on Wednesday, October 4, 2023.
Mr. Kapi explained that between Wednesday, October 4, and Saturday, October 7, 2023, the coordination process with the examiners would be finalized, paving the way for the actual marking to commence on Monday, October 9, 2023.
The Head of Public Affairs added that the Council had a total of over 22,000 examiners who would need to be compensated.
“The fear we have now is that if the government does not release funds, we may not be able to complete the process and what it means is that we may not be able to pay the examiners.
“We have made this clear to government and we hope that government keep the promise to release funds to enable us to complete the process.”
Mr. Kapi emphasized that the release of the results hinged on the government’s allocation of funds.
He said the Council was looking at releasing the results of BECE in the last week of October 2023, adding that “as soon as we are done with the swapping of the regions in respect of WASSCE, then marking will start”.
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has expressed its concern regarding the high number of malpractices detected in the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
This sub-regional examination scheme in Ghana has, over the years, faced numerous irregularities, including the smuggling of electronic devices into examination halls, paper leaks, and script impersonation, among other issues.
During a press briefing on the conduct of the 2023 WASSCE for school candidates, John K. Kapi, the head of public affairs for WAEC, revealed that the individuals responsible for these malpractices have been apprehended and will soon face legal proceedings.
“It is sad to note that some of the schools have devised grand schemes for cheating at their examination centres. Information reaching us indicates that some of the schools charge their candidates ranging between GH¢500 and GH¢1000 each to enable them to get assistance during the examination and this practice has given some of the students a certain sense of entitlement, and they want to be allowed their way.”
“Proprietors of some schools have shown open hostility towards our monitoring teams prompting us to call for support from the Ghana Police Service to ensure their safety. And some persons have been arrested for attempting to bribe our personnel to look the other way so that the cheating can go on.”
Deputy Minister for Education, Rev John Ntim Fordjour, has rejected assertions that the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) will be discontinued after the year 2023.
He stated that the Ghana Education System (GES) does not have intentions to eliminate the BECE, but rather, there will be a revised structure maintaining the same examination standard set by the West African Examination Council (WAEC).
Rev. Ntim Fordjour explained that the new format will be reflective of the curriculum that is being used in the various basic schools in Ghana.
Speaking in an interview with TV3 on Wednesday, August 8, 20023, Rev John Ntim Fordjour entreated the general public to disregard claims of the abolition of BECE after the 2023 edition.
“There’s no decision whatsoever to write off or jettison BECE, so that notion or perception should be disregarded.
“Well, we are going to have the same form as we’ve been doing. Of course, the test items each year will have it in a different format, as WAEC determines, but the standard is going to be the same, and it’s going to be reflective of the curriculum that we have put in place. What they have been taught is exactly what is going to come up,” he told TV3.
Rev John Ntim Fordjour’s comment comes in response to claims of a possible cancellation of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) after the 2023 edition over the introduction of a new examination for Basic schools in Ghana.
Deputy Minister for Education, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, has dismissed assertions that the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) will be eliminated after 2023.
As per his statements, the Ghana Education System (GES) does not intend to eliminate the BECE; however, there will be a modified structure with equivalent examination standards established by the West African Examination Council (WAEC).
Rev. Ntim Fordjour explained that the new format will be reflective of the curriculum that is being used in the various basic schools in Ghana.
Speaking in an interview with TV3 on Wednesday, August 8, 20023, Rev John Ntim Fordjour entreated the general public to disregard claims of the abolition of BECE after the 2023 edition.
“There’s no decision whatsoever to write off or jettison BECE, so that notion or perception should be disregarded.
“Well, we are going to have the same form as we’ve been doing. Of course, the test items each year will have it in a different format, as WAEC determines, but the standard is going to be the same, and it’s going to be reflective of the curriculum that we have put in place. What they have been taught is exactly what is going to come up,” he told TV3.
Rev. John Ntim Fordjour’s comment comes in response to claims of a possible cancellation of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) after the 2023 edition over the introduction of a new examination for Basic schools in Ghana.
Education officials in Sekyere Afram Plains, Ashanti Region are depending on drones to distribute examination papers to students taking this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
This is as a result of the challenges facing the West African Examination Council (WAEC) in delivering materials to students in the Sekyere Afram Plains area after the Sene River overflowed its banks, education authorities have turned to drones as a solution.
The Director of Education for the Sekyere Afram Plains District, Prince Owusu Ansah, has revealed that drones will be utilized throughout the duration of the examination.
“We will be conducting the exams throughout the week, with the drones facilitating the delivery of questions to the candidates. These questions will be securely housed at the Anyinam police station. Once the exams conclude on Friday, we are hopeful that the road conditions will have improved, the water levels would have receded, allowing us to transport all the answer scripts by road to the depot at Mampong,” stated Mr. Ansah.
Across the nation, a total of over 600,000 students are participating in the week-long Basic Education Certificate Examination. Among them, there are 300,323 males and 300,391 females from 18,993 schools nationwide.
This year’s cohort of candidates marks the final group to undertake the Basic Education Certificate Examination, which has been a part of the educational landscape for over three decades.
Head of Public Affairs at the West African Examination Council (WAEC), John K. Kapi has characterised the initial day of the ongoing Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) as trouble-free, despite receiving notifications of exam irregularities in three regions.
John Kapi disclosed instances of misconduct were detected in the Ashanti, Greater Accra, and Central regions.
For instance, in the Ashanti Region, he mentioned that a student was apprehended while trying to enter the examination hall with unauthorized materials.
He also emphasized that measures have been put in place to deal with persons who flout examination regulations to make sure fairness prevails.
Speaking in an interview with JoyNews, the Head of Public Affairs for WAEC highlighted the report of malpractices they received on the first day and how they would deal with the culprits.
“I guess we’ve had a good day so far. No reports have come from anywhere, so I guess everything’s okay. We’ve received a few reports from the Ashanti Region where one individual was picked up, but he was trying to approach the examination hall with some foreign material for the candidates. We’ve also picked somebody up from Tema Central, where the lady had some information that she intended to pass on to the candidates. In the Central Region, We picked up two people who were answering the questions in the middle of the paper that intended to send to the candidate writing exam.
“Anybody who breaches any of these rules, what you do is simply report you to the law enforcement agencies. They apply our rules, and then they are charged. They are sent to court. We still have our monitors in the field. We have our own officers who are monitoring the centers. We have the National Investigative Bureau who are working with us. We also have our own locally-recruited personnel who are monitoring these centers. And so, we’ll continue to maintain momentum. We’ll sustain momentum until the exams are over,” he said.
He further commended the soaring female population for dominating this year’s examination and for breaking the jinx of male domination over the past years.
“We know now that we’re having more female candidates going into this examination as compared to the male population. Over the years, we’ve had the males dominating in examinations. So if there are many more females who are coming up, I think it’s a good thing that is worth celebrating for us as a society and as a nation,” he added.
A member of the Communication Unit of WAEC, Mr. John Kapi who confirmed this said on Starr FM that the government has given GHC10 million which is equivalent to 15 percent of the total arrears.
“So far for BECE 2021 and 2022 yes we have received the arrears but for this year 2023 we received about 10.5 million Ghana cedis that is 15 percent of the total payment due. So obviously there are still some arrears that should be settled. They promise off course that they are going to send some money to us so we are waiting,” Mr. Kapi stated.
He further mentioned that in the event the government cannot provide additional funds, it will adversely affect the procedures associated with the examinations.
“So far what we’ve been able to do is the printing for what we are conducting. But for the marking and final processing of the result we will have to get some more money otherwise sections of the process will suffer,” Mr. Kapi stated.
His remarks follow concerns raised by the Minority in Parliament.
Prior to this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), the Minority in Parliament had alerted to the issue that WAEC owed examiners, invigilators, and supervisors for their roles in the 2022 examination.
Speaking to Starr News the ranking member on the Education Committee in Parliament, Peter Nortsu-Kortoe advised the government to pay WAEC as soon as possible.
According to him, the government must attach some level of urgency with the matter since Ghana risked losing the Headquarters status over the huge debts owed to the examination body.
Meanwhile, the BECE commenced Monday, August 7, 2023, across the country, with over 600,000 students taking the exam. They include 300,323 males and 300,391 females from 18,993 schools across the country.
The West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) has reported that the government has settled only 15% of the total arrears owed to them.
Earlier flagged by the Minority in Parliament, the arrears involve examiners, invigilators, and supervisors from the 2022 examination, creating concerns ahead of this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
The ranking member on the Education Committee in Parliament, Peter Nortsu-Kortoe, advised prompt payment by the government.
Urgency is stressed due to the potential risk of Ghana losing its Headquarters status due to the substantial debts owed to WAEC.
John Kapi, a member of WAEC’s Communication Unit, revealed that the government has provided 10 million Ghana cedis, constituting 15% of the total arrears for BECE 2021 and 2022.
However, outstanding payments remain, and further funding is crucial for the smooth execution of exams and result processing.
While printing for ongoing exams has proceeded, the marking and final result processing require additional funding. Kapi cautioned that without more payments, certain aspects of the examination process could be compromised.
Despite these financial concerns, over 600,000 students, including 300,323 males and 300,391 females from 18,993 schools nationwide, have begun this year’s BECE on August 7, 2023.
The exam will commence at 9am to 3pm and nine subjects will be written in total. However, candidates with visual and hearing impairments are to be allowed an additional 50% of the time allotted to other candidates. Ahead of the exam, the Council released the various topics to be studied.
Subjects to be written on Monday, August 7, are Religious and Moral Education 2 (Essay), Religious and Moral Education 1 (Objective), English Language 2 (Essay), and English Language I (Objective).
According to WAEC, both Papers 2 & 1 for each subject will be taken at one sitting without break.
“Where the duration indicated on the question paper differs from what is on the timetable, the one on the question paper should be followed”, WAEC added.
On Tuesday, the candidates will be examined on Integrated Science and Ghanaian Language and Culture.
Social Studies and Basic Design and Technology will be written on the third day. On the fourth day, August 9, the candidates will sit for Mathematics and Information and Communication Technology.
The last day, being Friday, the candidates will sit for just one subject, French. The students will commence at 9am and conclude at 10:45am.
Meanwhile, WAEC has announced that it will disqualify BECE candidates found to have been illegally registered.
This comes after the Council discovered that some parents moved their children from private schools to public schools to be registered while they were yet to complete the JHS education.
The number of candidates that registered for this year’s BECE (SC) is 8.8% higher than the 2022 entry figure of 552,276.
With regards to the BECE for private candidates, a total entry figure of 1,743 candidates was recorded and this is made up of 889 males and 854 females. This year’s figure is 5.4% higher than the entry figure of 1,132 for 2022.
The Ada-East District has successfully registered a total of 1,772 students from Junior High Schools in preparation for the upcoming 2023 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
The examination is scheduled to commence on Monday, August 7th, 2023.
Mr. Moses Tetteh Pornortey, the District Education Director, provided insights in an interview with the Ghana News Agency.
The examination is being organized within a single district, housing seven examination centers. These centers include Ada Foah Methodist Basic School, Big Ada Presbyterian Junior High School, Ocanseykope District Assembly Basic School, Bedeku District Assembly Basic School, Tamatoku Presbyterian Basic School, and Kasseh Number One District Assembly, among others.
To prepare the students adequately, a combination of measures has been implemented. Durbars were conducted at circuit centers to orient and familiarize the candidates with the examination process. Additionally, holiday classes were arranged to ensure comprehensive preparation for the impending examination.
The students have also undergone a series of mock examinations, culminating in a significant grand durbar event. This event saw the involvement of various stakeholders, including the District Chief Executive, who collectively provided encouragement and motivation for the candidates prior to their examination.
The candidates’ mindset and readiness for the task ahead have been effectively nurtured and cultivated.
The local Member of Parliament, Ms. Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe-Ghansah, has pledged her support by providing mathematical sets for the candidates.
Furthermore, she is anticipated to continue her annual tradition of providing meals for the candidates, further bolstering their confidence and preparedness for the examination.
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has announced its decision to cancel the registration of unqualified candidates for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
According to WAEC, it has come to their attention that some parents are transferring their wards from private schools at the Basic Stage Six, JHS 1, 2, and 3 levels to public schools to enable them to register for the examination.
This practice goes against the regulations set by the Ghana Education Service and WAEC. As a result, WAEC is currently investigating these cases, and any candidates found to be involved in such actions will have their registrations annulled.
In a press briefing held in Accra, John K. Kapi, the Head of Public Affairs at WAEC, urged parents not to subject their wards to such distressing situations.
He said: “Council is investigating a number of such cases and the registration of such candidates would be annulled.”
“Parents are urged not to traumatise their wards by such actions,” he cautioned.
“A total number of 600,714 candidates, comprising 300,323 males and 300,391 females from 18,993 participating schools entered for the school examination,” he added.
He emphasized that the BECE for schools and private candidates will take place from Monday, August 7 to Friday, August 11, 2023, nationwide.
A total of 600,714 candidates, consisting of 300,323 males and 300,391 females from 18,993 participating schools, have been registered for the school examination.
This year’s figure represents an 8.8% increase compared to the 2022 entry figure of 552,276 candidates.
“This is made up of 889 males and 854 females. This year’s figure is 5.4 per cent higher than the entry figure of 1,132 for 2022.”
As for the BECE for private candidates, there are 1,743 candidates registered, comprising 889 males and 854 females. This figure is 5.4% higher than the 2022 entry figure of 1,132 candidates.
The increase in the number of candidates is attributed to the rise in school enrollments across the country.
The BECE for school candidates will be conducted at 2,137 examination centers nationwide, while 15 centers, mainly located in regional capitals, will be used for the BECE for private candidates.
The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has announced that it will be serialising certain questions in the 2023 West African Senior High School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) to combat exam malpractices.
The council believes that this measure will help maintain the integrity of the exam.
Under the serialisation process, candidates in the same exam hall will receive the same question, but with different question numbers.
The subjects selected for serialisation are those considered to be high stake and crucial, as they are less prone to compromise.
John Kapi, Head of Public Affairs at the Council, emphasized that the structure of the questions remains unchanged, and serialisation is part of their trade secret to ensure fairness and security.
He clarified that this move is not meant to unduly punish anyone but rather safeguard the integrity of the exam.
“Serialisation is not anything that is landing from space. Besides nothing has changed about the structure of the questions. It is just that we have serialised some of them. It is our trade secret, and we want to maintain that. We are not unduly punishing anybody, it is the same question just that there is some serialisation. There are some of these papers that are high stake and so for those high stake papers we would want to serialise them.”
“Secondly it is a very expensive venture to get into, it is time-consuming and all of that. And so we concentrate more on the high stake papers and then there are a few of them that we consider as low risk, and so we don’t serialise those ones,” he said.
Due to the cost and time-consuming nature of the process, WAEC will focus on serialising high stake papers while considering some subjects as low risk, and therefore not requiring serialisation.
In total, 447,204 candidates from 975 schools are expected to sit for this year’s WASSCE.
The government has allocated GH¢50.5 million to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) for the smooth execution of the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
Of this amount, GH¢40 million is dedicated to the successful conduct of WASSCE, covering approximately 30 percent of the total expenses required for the exams.
Additionally, GH¢10.5 million has been set aside for the BECE, which represents almost 15 percent of the necessary funds for its smooth administration.
In response to concerns about exam security, WAEC has taken several measures. They have increased the number of depots for exam papers, reducing the distance from these depots to the examination centers (schools).
Moreover, question papers will not be released until 45 minutes before the start of the examinations, minimizing the chances of leaks.
WAEC has also made improvements to the depots to ensure they are secure and cannot be accessed illegally. All depots must have concrete structures or metal-grade ceilings to fortify them against unauthorized entry.
The WASSCE began with Visual Arts practicals, while the BECE for both school and private candidates will take place from August 7 to 11. Subsequently, the General Business Certificate Examination and Advanced Business Certificate Examination will start from August 21.
To ensure credibility and reduce malpractice, all examination officials will undergo comprehensive briefings throughout the country.
WAEC has also conducted sensitization programs in various schools to educate students on exam preparation and what is expected of them during the exams.
The Head of National Office (HNO) of WAEC, Wendy Addy-Lamptey, emphasized that credible examinations are a collective responsibility, and all stakeholders, including headteachers, GES officials, depot keepers, and security agencies, must play their part in ensuring fair and credible exams.
To enhance monitoring, WAEC will engage monitoring agents who have received training to complement their own staff in effectively covering all examination centers.
“This time around, we do not accept depots with ceilings. All depots must have either concrete or if they don’t have concrete, then we will do a metal grade on the ceiling to fortify them so that nobody can enter through the ceiling.
“Again, we are not going to move our question papers in bulk to the depots; they would be moved in bits so that at any time, the question papers that are needed for a particular week or few days would be the only papers that are at the depots,” Mrs Addy-Lamptey explained.
Schools that have been involved in institutional cheating have been cautioned and, where necessary, faced sanctions to serve as a deterrent to others considering engaging in syndicate cheating.
The HNO warned candidates and the public about rogue websites and WhatsApp platforms that claim to provide WAEC confirmed topics. These are fraudulent websites, and candidates are advised not to download any material or share their telephone numbers on such platforms.
WAEC is taking the necessary steps to ensure the smooth and credible conduct of the examinations and seeks the cooperation of all stakeholders in this endeavor.
Government has paid GH¢55 million in arrears owed to WAEC. This payment was confirmed in an interview with Citi FM on July 27, 2023, according to the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC), Winifred Ampiaw.
The received funds, which amount to GH¢10.5 million for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and GH¢40 million for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), will be used to facilitate the organization of both exams this year.
The total budget allocated for the BECE and WASSCE for this year is approximately GH¢18 million and GH¢63.5 million, respectively, leaving around GH¢7.5 million in remaining funds after the received payment.
Ms. Ampiaw assured the public that the amount received from the government is sufficient to successfully carry out both exams. WAEC has already put necessary resources in place for the smooth execution of these examinations as planned.
“I can say that we have received some amount of money that will enable us to conduct the exams, for both WASSCE and BECE.
“However, there’s a payment plan to pay the rest. So far we have received GH¢10.5 million to be able to conduct BECE, and for WASSCE, we have received GH¢40 million.
“This amount will enable us to take care of the pre-exams activities and the conduct of the exams itself. We’ve received GH¢55 million in total, I know for a fact that we have received the money”.
“The payment is for this year’s exams, we are supposed to spend a rough estimate of GH¢18 million for BECE.
“For WASSCE, the total cost for just the pre and the conduct of the main will take us to GH¢63.5 million. We are left with about GH¢7.5 million.
“However, I want to assure the public that yes, we are in the position to conduct both exams for this year,” she stressed.
The Minority in Parliament has issued a warning regarding the 2023 WASSCE and BECE examinations, expressing concerns that these exams could face setbacks if the government does not settle its arrears owed to the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC).
During a media briefing in Parliament, Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, the Minority Spokesperson on Education, stated that WAEC requires approximately GH₵50 million to clear its outstanding debts. He pointed out that in the previous year, the government managed to pay only GH₵50 million out of the GH₵83 million owed to WAEC, which was meant to address the arrears for the 2020/2021 period.
“Now the examinations are about to start again or they have even started with the orals and practicals and the WAEC is not having money to pay for last year’s services. If care is not taken, the persons or the teachers who gave us the service may not be ready to provide services again as supervisors and invigilators.”
But responding to the Minority’s claims, Deputy Education Minister, Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, affirmed that the government is actively working to fulfill the outstanding financial requirements to support WAEC in conducting the exams without any disruptions.
The Minority in Parliament has issued a warning that the smooth conduct of the 2023 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) is at risk unless the government promptly clears all outstanding debts owed to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
Minority Spokesperson on Education, Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, expressed concern that WAEC urgently requires over GH₵50 million to settle its financial obligations and ensure the seamless organization of the 2023 examinations.
He highlighted the current challenges faced by WAEC, citing the government’s failure to release funds for compensating individuals who provided their services during the 2022 WASSCE, including allowances owed to supervisors, invigilators, examiners, and other personnel involved in the examination process.
Due to the government’s inability to release funds to WAEC for last year’s services, there is a risk that teachers and personnel may not be willing to provide services again as supervisors and invigilators for the upcoming exams.
The Minority emphasized the need for prompt payment to WAEC and pointed out that in another member country, the entire budget of WAEC is released by the end of the first quarter for national and international examinations.
For now, WAEC needs about GH₵50 million to clear the previous year’s arrears, including payments to those involved in printing scripts and booklets for the exams.
Failure to settle these debts could potentially disrupt the smooth conduct of the 2023 exams.
“The challenge for WAEC now is the government’s inability to release funds to them to perform their functions. Those who worked for WAEC last year, 2022, in the conduct of the WASSCE have not been paid the allowances due to the supervisors, the invigilators, the examiners, and all other persons. So, WAEC is unable to raise funds to meet its obligations,” he said.
“Now the examinations are about to start again or they have even started with the orals and practicals and the WAEC is not having money to pay for last year’s services. So we don’t know what the government is doing and if care is not taken, the persons or the teachers who gave us the service may not be ready to provide services again as supervisors and invigilators.”
“I know of a country, a member country, that by the end of the first quarter, all the budget of WAEC is released to them for national and international examinations. Why can’t we do the same in Ghana?”
“This is the challenge WAEC is facing and if we don’t help them to get what is due them, I don’t know how the exams for this year will be conducted. For now, they need about GH₵50 million to clear the previous year’s arrears. Those who print their scripts for them, those who print booklets, they owe all of them. So if you don’t pay, how will they provide those materials for you?”
1,670 final year students from 41 public and private junior high schools (JHS) in the Birim Central Municipality have had their BECE mock exams sponsored by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Akyem Oda, Alexander Akwasi Acquah.
The super mock examination is designed to prepare candidates to excel in the BECE and achieve admission to senior high schools of their choosing.
Last Monday, the MP traveled to some of the beneficiary schools with his education committee chairman, Aaron Donkor, and the Birim Central Municipal Director of Education, Esther Quaye-Sowah, to observe children taking the mock examination. Advice
In his address to the students, Mr Acquah advised them to pay special attention to the super mock examination because it was aligned with the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) BECE.
He encouraged them to study hard in order to graduate with honors and win admission to the well-known SHS.
The MP, on the other hand, warned students to avoid examination malpractices such as entering the examination hall with foreign materials or copying from their classmates, as they will be sanctioned if found by invigilators.
Mr Acquah promised scholarships to select of the students who excelled in the BECE and asked parents not to overburden their children in school with household tasks, as this could impede their academic growth.
He also instructed them to monitor their wards’ activities at home and to ensure that they focused on their academics when they returned from school.
As in previous years, the MP offered to provide free mathematical sets to each of the 1,670 students taking the BECE.
For the third consecutive year, Zenith Bank (Ghana) Limited has reaffirmed its dedication to supporting educational excellence in Ghana. The bank has once again sponsored the prestigious Overall Best Candidate award for the 2022 West African Senior School Certificate Examinations.
Alex Opoku Manu, a former student of St. James Seminary Senior High School in Sunyani, was honored as the Overall Best Candidate in the 2022 West African Senior School Certificate Examinations. Mr. Henry Onwuzurigbo, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Bank, awarded him a cash prize of GHS 30,000 along with a laptop in recognition of his outstanding achievement.
During the 2022 WAEC Distinction Awards ceremony held at the Sakyi-Asare Menako Hall in Cantonments, Accra, Mr. Henry Onwuzurigbo, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Bank, presented the cash prize of GHS 30,000 and a laptop to Alex Opoku Manu, the Overall Best Candidate in the West African Senior School Certificate Examinations. The event was organized by the West African Examination Council (WAEC).
According to the MD/CEO, “The achievement of Master Alex Opoku Manu is an attestation of extraordinary academic performance. The Bank’s decision to sponsor the award of Overall Best Candidate for the third year in a row is therefore in line with the Bank’s mission.
“To continue to invest in the best people, technology and environment to underscore our commitment to achieving customer enthusiasm.”
Alex Opoku Manu, who is currently pursuing a degree in Human Biology at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), was also awarded a cash prize and a certificate by the WAEC Endowment. Additionally, his former school, St. James Seminary Senior High School, received a plaque in recognition of his outstanding achievement.
Mr Benjamin Eyram Nana Kwame Degbey, the second Overall Best Student also a former student of the St. James Seminary SHS in Sunyani and the third-place winner, Abena Afriyie Poku, a former student of Holy Child Senior High School both received a cash prize, laptop, and a certificate each.
Madam Wendy Addy-Lamptey, Head of the National Office, WAEC, said the Excellence and Distinction Awards were instituted by the WAEC Endowment Fund to recognize and publicly acknowledge candidates who perform in the Council’s International and National examinations.
She expressed the Council’s appreciation to some organisations and the Headline Sponsor, Zenith Bank Ghana for coming onboard to reward excellence.
“Let me on behalf of the Council express our heartfelt appreciation to these organisations and our Headline Sponsor, Zenith Bank,” she said.
She announced that two of the winners (Alex Opoku Manu and Benjamin Eyram Nana Kwame Degbey) made Ghana proud and annexed the 1st and 2nd prizes at the WAEC International Excellence Awards during the 71st Annual Council Meeting of member countries of WAEC held in Banjul, The Gambia.”
Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Education Minister, congratulated the winners for their outstanding performance.
He commended WAEC for organising the awards and tasked school authorities to train critical thinkers.
Zenith Bank has over the years contributed significantly to the provision of financial support for needy but brilliant students across all levels of the educational spectrum.
The Bank currently offers full educational scholarships covering the cost of tuition, books, clothing, accommodation and allowances for underprivileged students who have been placed in schools such as Achimota Senior High School, Achimota Junior High School, Osu Presbyterian Senior High School and Kibi School for the Deaf. Recently, the Bank extended its scholarship scheme to an eight-year-old to enable the child pursue her education at the St. Peters Missions School in Accra.
Over the course of almost eighteen years of operations in Ghana, Zenith Bank has sponsored specific prize categories in schools and tertiary institutions, renovated computer laboratories of some public schools and equipped schools with computers, computer accessories as well as teaching and learning materials.
The Bank, some months ago, donated 24 ceiling fans to the Zagyuri Anglican JHS in the Sagnarigu Municipal Assembly as well as exercise books, textbooks and pens to students of Agbekotsekpo DA Basic School in the Shai Osudoku District of the Greater Accra Region, to enable students study in a more conducive learning environment and fully participate in learning activities undertaken in the schools.
Students of the Sokode Hall of Residence at the University of Health and Allied Sciences were also beneficiaries of two 380-litre deep freezers which the Bank donated to the Hall of Residence.
Zenith Bank Ghana’s Corporate Social Responsibility cuts across the areas of education, healthcare and human capital development. Initiatives embarked on by the Bank have centred on positively impacting the communities in which the Bank operates.
Zenith Bank (Ghana) Limited is a subsidiary of Zenith Bank Plc, head quartered in Nigeria with presence in other West Africa countries, the Middle East, Far East and Europe.
It is a member of the Ghana Deposit Protection Scheme. The Bank’s branding is anchored on a continuous investment in People, Technology and Excellent Customer Service.
Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum has lashed out at critics of the Free Senior High School (SHS) programme.
Despite the unfavourable criticism, the Minister stated that the policy’s growth of enrollment has not jeopardised student learning outcomes.
He stated that the 2022 West African Senior Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results demonstrate the government’s commitment to reforming the country’s education sector.
Dr. Adutwum remarked that the approach has yielded various outcomes during the opening of the 60th anniversary of Kumasi High School in the Ashanti Region.
One key accomplishment he highlighted was that the strategy increased enrolment and enhanced learning results.
“For all those who thought increasing enrolment at the high schools would diminish learning outcomes, I have news for you: increasing enrolment did not diminish learning outcomes, and if you doubt it, look at Kumasi High School.
“Go and look at the WAEC results, and it will tell you that we had the best learning outcomes in this country last year. In the last eight years, the best results were the 2022 results, but I don’t blame people who make that conjecture that things are bad because, around the world, countries that have increased enrollment always suffer.”
According to him, the government is committed to striking a balance between access and quality to ensure that Ghanaian students obtain a solid education that prepares them for the future.
The Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) for junior high school students is not going to be canceled, according to the Ghana Education Service (GES).
GES explained that it is moving from the old objectives-based curriculum to the standards-based curriculum, which is likely to change the nature and form of the BECE.
Speaking at a stakeholder engagement on the grading system by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the Director General of GES, Dr. Eric Nkansah, said reports of the purported cancellation of the BECE are untrue.
“We are not cancelling the BECE. What is confusing people or some of our people is that we are now moving away from the old objectives-based curriculum to the standards-based curriculum, and it does not mean that those on the standards-based curriculum will not write BECE. They will also write but perhaps the nature and form may change. So please don’t communicate that we are not writing BECE.”
The Basic Education Certificate Examination(BECE) is conducted by WAEC and serves as a standard exam for junior high school graduates who are about to enter senior high school.
The National Council of Private School Teachers has revealed that, some public basic schools are flouting the Ghana Education Service’s (GES) rules by registering final year private students for 2023 BECE.
The National Council of Private School Teachers, led by its Executive Director, Mr. Ackon James, visited some public schools that have been identified by private JHS heads as schools that have poached their final year students for the upcoming BECE in August.
The Ghana Education Service has indicated that it would deal with any school or head teacher found guilty of the offense.
The efforts of thePrivate Schools Teachers Association Councilled by the Executive Director of the association went to some public schools where students who had left prior to the completion of the BECE registration were found in JHS3 of the visited public schools.
Audio recordings of the interactions that ensued on the public premises of public schools and available to GhanaEducation.org proved that the students were in these schools. Some of the said learners were seen in the classrooms in the public schools visited and probably illegally registered for the BECE by the public schools visited.
The National Council of Private School Teachers leadership has directed that the students be released to go back to their mother schools to be registered for the 2023 BECE.
The Council has also taken steps to inform the GES and WAEC of the needed punitive measures to be taken against the public schools and their head teachers caught in the act.
The council will not hesitate to put out the names of the public schools and audio recordings of the conversations that confirmed the illegal practice should the said public schools and their head fail to comply with the directive
Registration of Private School Students for BECE by Heads of Public Schools is illegal yet, head teachers in public basic schools have continued to disregard the GES directive on the illegal act. Headteachers of public basic schools registering private school candidates may have been emboldened by the fact that the GES directive and the associated sanctions have become a yearly ritual by “a dog that barks but can’t bite”.
The registration of private school students by public schools goes a long way to negatively affect private schools that have toiled many years to prepare their candidates for the examination. When such students are registered by public schools and they excel, the public schools take the praise for no work done.
This illegal act must be criminalized and offending schools and leaders dealt with to put a stop to it instead of the lip service of the GES and WAEC in the matter.
The practice of Public JHS poaching and registering Private JHS final-year students has increased in the last few years due to strange failure rates suffered by private schools at the end of each BECE examination. Again, the government’s policy of school placement which places students in public schools ahead of their colleagues from private schools can be cited as being a contributing factor.
The West African Examination Council (WAEC) Ghana, has made public the timetable for the 2023 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
In a public notice, WAEC revealed that the first paper, Religious and Moral Education 2, will be written on Monday, August 7.
The other subjects to be written on the said day include: Religious and Moral Education 1 (Objective), English Language 2 (Essay), and English Language I (Objective).
The candidates will write Integrated Science 2 (Essay), Integrated Science 1 (Objective), Ghanaian Language and Culture 2 (Essay) on Tuesday, August 8, 2023.
WAEC explained that both Papers “(2 & 1 for each subject are to be taken in one sitting without break. Where the duration indicated on the question paper differs from what is on the timetable, the one on the question paper should be followed”.
The Council stated that that extra time will be given to candidates with visual and hearing impairment.
“Extra time for candidates with visual and hearing impairment. Candidates with visual and hearing impairments are to be allowed an additional 50% of the time allotted to other candidates,” WAEC added.
The West African Examinations Council(WAEC) Chairperson, Professor Ato Essuman, has said that without skill development for students, free secondary education in Ghana will be meaningless.
Although he believes the concept ofFree Senior High School (SHS) is admirable, his worry, however, is that it falls short of teacher development and providing students with the necessary skills for the world of work or further education.
Prof. Essuman said this as the keynote speaker at the 2023 edition of Achimota Speaks at the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences on Thursday.
The theme of the event was “The Governance, Management, and Financing of Secondary Education in Ghana.”
“The argument about free secondary education is about access and not enough about the content and the outcomes expected. Matters about skills development, teacher orientation, reorientation and training and development as well as new pedagogical approaches are less stressed. Clearly, fair attention to all these is likely to produce students ready to transition either to the tertiary level or the world of work.”
He continued to say, “the policy of making secondary education free and available to all is a lofty one but such a goal will be useless and needlessly expensive if all it does is to create opportunity and give young people access without the skills that will make them great assets for the nation development or otherwise, the problems would continue to compound.”
Prof. Essuman, who is also the Dean of Education and Entrepreneurship at Methodist University College in Ghana, poked holes in what he feels to be the poor implementation of free secondary education in the country.
This, he blames for the numerous difficulties that have beset such initiatives.
“Implementing free secondary education in Ghana may have been desirable if a gradualist approach and phased implementation of the program had been adopted. Learning from other countries’ experiences may have led to better management of the policy.
“With the problem of inadequate resources and delays in funds released to schools, a strategy for mean testing to target the poor and the vulnerable could have been adopted. I do not think that as a country we have many options.”
This was announced by the West African ExaminationCouncil (WAEC).
WAEC disclosed that the entry figure is composed of 20,164 males and 23,578 females. 76 of the candidates also had visual impairment and 2 had a hearing impairment.
901 candidates also had their results withheld for engaging in alleged examination malpractices.
The Council cautioned members of the public to be on the alert for scammers who may contact candidates with the promise of upgrading their results for a fee payable through mobile money transfers.
The Head of the Legal Department of the West African Examinations Council, Rev. Victor Brew, has clarified the grading system used for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
According to him, the performance of students at various schools determine their grades. The grades awarded to students from various schools are dependent on their performance.
Speaking to Roselyn Felli on Prime Morning, Monday, Rev. Victor Brew explained that students who may be the best in their schools may not meet the first 4% range targeted by the WAEC grading system as it is a nationwide competition.
“…it’s the grading system and also the performance of their candidates, because mind you, if you’re a local champion where you keep getting 80s, know that if someone else has been getting 99, then you pray that your 80 falls within the 4% otherwise, you’re going to get a grade 2, and that doesn’t mean you’re not good. You’re good, but others are better,” he explained.
For the purpose of the variation of the grading system, he urged school managers to avoid comparing cohorts of their institutions, as the “Norm-Referenced Grading System” used by WAEC varies yearly.
Rev. Victor Brew further revealed that the implementation of the grading system is done in collaboration with the government, thus making grade 9 the lowest and not a failure in the BECE system.
Explaining how the grading system is done, he said, “If the first 4% are to get grade 1, what it means is that if you took mathematics, unlike English, someone can get 100% in mathematics. So, what happens is that your candidate or the champion of your school in math gets 80% during your mock trials or 89%, but then when you join forces with the candidates across the country, the question is whether your champion in math in your school can beat all the champions across the country such that your champion falls within the first 4%.”
For this reason, he said WAEC is not to be blamed for the failure of candidates, as a particular batch may not fall within the range of the national grading system for the year.
Meanwhile, he thinks a coalition of a total number of candidates acquiring a grade in each subject across the country within a year will inform policy-making so as to help improve the system.
Addressing the issue of the cancellation of the exams for some candidates, he said it is done based on the rules and regulations provided for the year groups before and during the exams.
He has also notified parents whose children’s papers have been cancelled that they are permitted to appeal for remarking.
The Ministry of Education has advised against the payment of money to individuals who guarantee the placing of students in Senior High Schools.
Preparations are underway to release Senior High School placement for the 2023/2024 academic year after the West African Examination Council (WAEC) released the results of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) last week.
The spokesperson for the Ministry, Kwasi Kwarteng said the selection to Senior High and Technical and Vocational Education and training schools is purely merit-based.
“The Ministry has received some complaints that we have some unscrupulous individuals that are exploiting prospective students and unsuspecting parents, so we feel it is the right time to let parents know that the CSSPS process is merit-based and at no point should they pay money to any person. If they have any challenges they should walk to the Ministry or the CSSPS secretariat, and it will be resolved,” Mr Kwarteng said.
In a separate statement, the Ghana Education Service (GES) said it is committed to ensuring a smooth merit-based placement process.
The statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, Cassandra Twum Ampofo urged the general public to report persons who demand money for school placement to the Police.
Provisional results for candidates who took the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) for both school and private in 2022 have been made public by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
A press statement dated January 25, 2023, said that candidates can access their results at the council’s website www.waecgh.org.
The statement added that the subject results of 416 school candidates and 3 private candidates have been cancelled for the offence of either sending foreign materials into the examination hall or colluding with candidates.
In addition, the examination body has also cancelled the entire results of 73 school candidates and 2 private candidates for the offence of examination malpractice.
“Cancellation of the subjects results of 416 school candidates and 3 private candidates for the offence of either bringing foreign materials into the examination hall or colluding with other candidates.
“…cancellation of the entire results of 73 school candidates and 2 private candidates for the offence of sending mobile phones into examination halls,” part of the statement read.
The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has announced that the results of the 2022 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) will be released on Wednesday, January 25, 2023.
The council in a press statement dated January 19, 2023, said that investigations are ongoing into examination irregularity cases detected during and after the conduct of the examination.
“Having successfully conducted the examination at 2,023 centres and completed coordination and marking exercises, the council is far advanced with post-examination activities.
“Investigations are ongoing into examination irregularity cases detected during and after the conduct of the examination. For a quick resolution of malpractice cases, the council appeals to affected school authorities and candidates to respond with dispatch to its invitation. Candidates are informed that their refusal to honour such invitation shall not impede the council from making a final determination on the cases in question…
“The target date for the release of results for the BECE for both school and private candidates, 2022 is Wednesday, 25th January 2023,” part of the statement read.
The statement added that parents and candidates should remain calm as the council works towards the release of the results.
Ghanaian gospel minister Nana Yaw Boakye Yiadom, well known as MOG, has recalled a memorable and upsetting time in his life that occurred while he was a senior in high school.
MOG described the hardship he went through with the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), saying that he was wrongfully accused of indulging in examination misconduct, which resulted in WAEC canceling all of his papers.
MOG said till date, his results have been withheld by the examination body after a court order in 2004.
The gospel musician said he was implicated after one of his mates who was initially nabbed for selling exam papers shockingly named him as an ally during interrogations.
“One of my mates, his name is Isaac Quayeson. He went to take exam questions, which I don’t know where he got it from, and he was selling them. For some reason, WAEC got hold of that information and they traced and came to the school. I was walking up the stairs and I met Isaac, I sympathized with him because I knew WAEC was in to arrest him. Shockingly, when they took him in for questioning, he mentioned my name that I, Nana Yaw Boakye am his partner. So, I was writing my Geography paper and I heard my name in the hall. I asked myself what is happening because I haven’t copied or done anything wrong. I was told WAEC is looking for me. So I was taken in for interrogation and fortunately around that time I was done with my section A.
“They asked me if it is true that I’m his ally and I said no. but Isaac kept on insisting that it is me and he even swore before them. I was asked to write a statement and I did. I later went home and informed my parents. WAEC took the situation to court and they wanted to cancel all the papers the school had written so far. But they ended up canceling Isaac Quayeson’s results and mine. They cancelled my SSCE results without a court hearing, nothing. This happened in 2004 and it affected me emotionally and psychologically. It took a lot from me. I had to stay home for four years before going back to the university. I had to write the entrance exams before going to the university,” He stated in an interview on Hitz FM.
The popular gospel singer has, however, declared his intentions to sue the examination council and demand his results.
“I want to get a lawyer and take them to court for my SSCE results. I don’t need it for anything but I want it. That is one painful thing in my life. So till now, I don’t have any evidence that shows I attended Adisasdel College. My mother called an insider and we were told I had 4As, 3Bs and 1C,” he added.
Ghanaian gospel minister, Nana Yaw Boakye Yiadom, popularly known as MOG, has recounted an unpleasant encounter during his days in Senior Secondary School.
Narrating the ordeal which ensued between him and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), MOG said he was falsely accused of engaging in examination malpractice, a situation which led to the cancellation of all his papers by WAEC.
MOG said till date, his results have been withheld by the examination body after a court order in 2004.
The gospel musician said he was implicated after one of his mates who was initially nabbed for selling exam papers shockingly named him as an ally during interrogations.
“One of my mates, his name is Isaac Quayeson. He went to take exam questions, which I don’t know where he got it from, and he was selling them. For some reason, WAEC got hold of that information and they traced and came to the school. I was walking up the stairs and I met Isaac, I sympathized with him because I knew WAEC was in to arrest him. Shockingly, when they took him in for questioning, he mentioned my name that I, Nana Yaw Boakye am his partner. So, I was writing my Geography paper and I heard my name in the hall. I asked myself what is happening because I haven’t copied or done anything wrong. I was told WAEC is looking for me. So I was taken in for interrogation and fortunately around that time I was done with my section A.
“They asked me if it is true that I’m his ally and I said no. but Isaac kept on insisting that it is me and he even swore before them. I was asked to write a statement and I did. I later went home and informed my parents. WAEC took the situation to court and they wanted to cancel all the papers the school had written so far. But they ended up canceling Isaac Quayeson’s results and mine. They cancelled my SSCE results without a court hearing, nothing. This happened in 2004 and it affected me emotionally and psychologically. It took a lot from me. I had to stay home for four years before going back to the university. I had to write the entrance exams before going to the university,” He stated in an interview on Hitz FM.
The popular gospel singer has, however, declared his intentions to sue the examination council and demand his results.
“I want to get a lawyer and take them to court for my SSCE results. I don’t need it for anything but I want it. That is one painful thing in my life. So till now, I don’t have any evidence that shows I attended Adisasdel College. My mother called an insider and we were told I had 4As, 3Bs and 1C,” he added.
It’s regular to witness young people with their heads buried in phones, jumping from one social media platform to the other.
In search for fun activities or trends to hop on from TikTok to Instagram, then Facebook, to WhatsApp among others.
Most often, these people get overwhelmed by online activities, which results in spending hours behind their devices.
As rampant as is it, the individuals involved in this are second-cycle students, who per the standards of Ghana Education Service (GES), are not permitted to carry nor use phones on their premises.
File photo
Although there have been calls by various stakeholders for phones to be tolerated in schools, the GES maintains that phones will be a form of distraction among other things.
Despite the stringent rule, some students have the courage to be seen pressing their smartphones whilst in uniforms at bus terminals in the mornings to school and afternoons after school.
On a number of occasions, my encounters with such students got me worried as they kept giggling at their screens at the funny videos, they watched on their preferred social media platforms.
It’s understandable if youngsters want to keep up with trends and be abreast of new technology. But their constant use of phones has created some kind of over-dependence on these devices for trivial information.
Information like simple mathematical formulas, proper use of English expressions, basic science and social studies, which should be at their fingertips should they study.
This dependence has translated into phones playing key roles in the preparations towards, during and after the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
Months before the exams, students make payments to be added to group chats where possible questions for various subjects will be sent for them to study.
It’s no surprise reports from the education think tank, Africa Education Watch found that out of the 20 WASSCE papers monitored for the 2021 examination, 11 of them leaked.
Heads of the WAEC Ghana National Office, Mrs. Wendy E. Addy-Lamptey
The education think tank said its online monitoring team joined over 30 free WhatsApp and Telegram Pages to observe proceedings before and during the examinations.
Most of these platforms have over 200,000 subscribers who pay between ¢30 and ¢100 each at the beginning of the examinations for the paper.
For some papers whose answers are supposed to be sent the morning of that subject paper, students sneak foreign materials [phones] into the exam hall which has accounted for an increasing number of students who take phones to the exam hall each year.
Statistics
This phenomenon has translated into an upsurge in phone-related malpractices over the years.
Reports by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) prove that the leading cause of malpractice is the smuggling of cell phones to examination centres.
In 2018, it also led to cancellation of some papers of 1,339 candidates and 174 others having their entire results cancelled.
A year after (2019), some 48,555 candidates had their entire results withheld by WAEC for investigations to be carried out for suspected involvement in cases of examination malpractice.
In 2020 some 2,383 candidates saw subject results cancelled and the entire results of 480 candidates.
Fortunately, in 2021 the figure dropped, as some 1,339 candidates had their subject results cancelled and for 174 candidates, an entire result cancelled.
This year, however, the number of malpractices more than doubled from that of 2021 with some 3,845 candidates having a subject paper cancelled and the entire results of 518 candidates cancelled.
2022 WASSCE in Ghana [Source: WAEC]
Concerns
This phenomenon has raised a lot of questions in the minds of stakeholders about the continuous rise in examination malpractices.
In a recent interview on Joy News, the Executive Director of Africa Education Watch, Kofi Asare expressed worry about the apparent doubling of exam malpractices through the years.
Kofi Asare is the Executive Director of Africa Education Watch
He mentioned that the examination council sees an almost exponential rise in students involved in malpractice annually.
But what is the driving force behind this disturbing trend despite the annual ‘scapegoating’ of candidates? Do candidates believe, for some unfathomable reason, that they will be able to evade the authorities with their hidden mobile phones and unapproved gadgets?
I don’t think it is worth it. The risk of suffering penalties like inability to further their education, and suspension from writing WASSCE for the 3 to five years, is too expensive a price to pay.
WASSCE performance in Ghana [Source: WAEC]
The Problem
Is it Generation Z’s desperation for quick ways to succeed, an addiction to phones, or parents’ failure to monitor the activities of their children?
Whichever the cause may be, I believe the sooner this issue is addressed the better it will be for Ghana’s future leaders.
Generally, teenagers have the propensity to quickly adopt new character traits. This is also the dominant age group in the country’s second-cycle institutions.
So why do these same candidates, with all this cognitive ability, need to smuggle in mobile phones for an examination they had three years to prepare for?
If the situation is not curbed, it could become a phenomenon where the number of students who passed their examination by dint of hard work will be equivalent to those involved in phone-related malpractices.
The way forward
Parents should make sure their children do not carry their phones to school. Teachers must inspect students to make sure they do not carry phones to the classroom.
Teachers must let students know that they do not need leaked questions or ‘apor’ to pass their examination.
Months before the WASSCE, there must be a forum for WAEC officials to answer questions on the minds of the students.
This will sensitise them and get them mentally prepared for the examination.
If possible, schools should invite old students who worked hard to get into universities to inspire students that hard work pays and that there is no simpler way to succeed.
Mr Kofi Asare contends that rather than punishing students who engage in examination malpractice, the Exam Council ought to take proactive measures to avoid it.
He revealed this in an interview on JoyNews on Thursday.
Mr. Asare’s remarks come after WAEC cancelled a number of candidates’ exam results due to exam fraud during this year’s WASSCE exams.
In his words, “looking at the information issued by WAEC, we realized that there is an increase in the number of subjects that were cancelled relative to last year by almost 187 percent. So it has increased from from 1,300 last year to roughly 3,600 this year.
According to the data, the prevalence of exam fraud is growing, hence WAEC needs to be more aggressive in responding to such events as they happen.
The greatest method to stop examination malpractice, according to Mr. Asare, is to make sure it doesn’t happen in the first place rather than trying to fix it after it has already happened.
Even though Ghana performed better this year in the WASSCE exam, he pointed out that the country still has a long way to go.
For WASSCE applicants taking the 2022 exam, the West African Examination Council has announced preliminary results.
According to a statement released by WAEC on Thursday, the results only apply to students from Ghana who sat the examinations this year.
The exam body claims that candidates can view the results on its website.
The West African Examination Council (WAEC) will release the provisional results of the 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) today.
The release follows the completion of all its post-examination processes.
A total of 422,883 senior high school (SHS) students across the country sit for the WASSCE exams.
Per the gender demographic presented by WAEC, 203,753 of the candidates were males, while 219,130 were females.
Meanwhile, WAEC disclosed in a statement that its outfit is carrying out ongoing investigations into examination irregularities detected during and after the exams.
“The Council is hereby urging school authorities and candidates who have been invited to its offices to assist with investigations into suspected cases of malpractice to endeavour to honour the invitations to facilitate the speedy resolution of those cases,” the statement noted.
Examination malpractice has predominantly become part and parcel of Ghana’s educational system.
Students’ involvement in examination malpractice has become increasingly worrying.
In 2021, the entire results of 174 candidates who sat for the 2021 WASSCE were cancelled due to examination malpractices.
Finding better solutions to nipping exam malpractice in the bud, the education think tank Africa Education Watch, admonished WAEC to stop the use of supervisors from the Ghana Education Service (GES) and solely use external supervisors during the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
Programme Officer at the Africa Education Watch, Kwasi Nimo Jnr. stated that centres which had GES supervisors recorded high cases of exam malpractices.
He said, “GES staff cannot be made to supervise their own students with an interest for them to pass to enhance their own KPIs. This is what we are recommending because our monitoring report showed that, whenever there are WAEC supervisors on the ground, there is orderliness and no cheating.”
Ghana is currently in talks with member countries of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) over the adoption of its serialisation policy, Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has said.
The policy of serialisation means that students at different examination centers and even at the same examination center will receive different questions of the same level of difficulty.
Speaking at the 50th anniversary of the Northern School of Business in Tamale on Saturday (26 November), Bawumia attributed the successful piloting of the policy in the BECE and WASSCE to the non-leakage of exams questions in 2021.
“I was guest of honour at the 50th anniversary of the Northern School of Business in Tamale yesterday. In my remarks I noted that one of the problems that has bedeviled our education system is the persistent leakages of examination questions for our BECE and WASSCE examinations.
“As a solution to this problem, last year the Ministry of Education implemented a policy of serialisation of examination questions as is the case in some advanced countries. The policy of serialisation means that students at different examination centers and even at the same examination center will receive different questions of the same level of difficulty,” Bawumia said.
“This serialisation policy was implemented by the Ministry of Education in the 2021 BECE and piloted for the 2021 WASSCE. The Minister for Education, Dr Yaw Adu Twum has reported that as a result of the policy there were no leakages of examination papers for the 2021 BECE examinations. The pilot for WASSCE was also successful and Ghana is in discussions with member WAEC countries for the adoption of this policy. We are making progress,” he added.
The Municipal Education Director of Effia Kwesimintsim Municipality, Mrs Kate Biney says very stringent measures will be ensured to prevent cheating in the upcoming Basic Education Certificate Examination (B.E.C.E) that is billed to start on Monday , October 17, 2022.
Speaking on Takoradi-based flagship morning programme Y3nsom with host Kwame Malcolm, on preparedness of the candidates ahead of the examination, the Municipal Education Director hinted of thorough search on the candidates.
” …West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) has given the needed orientation for supervisors and made it clear what is expected of them. The teachers themselves do not go to the examination centre, then you leave the children to go to the centre and then searched. This time we are going to do thorough searching so if you hear we are frisking their armpits etcetera understand; as males will search males and females attend to females. Due to what happened during WASSCE, WAEC has information on how candidates hide the foreign material as now it is not as open as in their shoes. They now hide it in their panties as menstrual pads, in between their belts, even they wear double nose mask and hide it in between ;under their neck collars and our muslim colleagues, thier hijabs will be searched;” she emphasised.
Mrs Kate Biney said that they will be searched to their pants.
“We will search their pants and the women invigilators can notice if one is really menstruating or has hidden a foreign material there. What is happening is unacceptable, the boys can hide it in their scrotum in between their testicles. We will feel the hijabs if it contains any material aside their hair. We know Muslim ladies do not expose their hair so we will not remove it but when we are suspicious we will ask you to remove it and shake it and wear it again and proceed;” she further explained.
Mrs Kate Biney this is to ensure no cancellation occurs because most candidates are not in to cheat and must not be made to pay for the actions and inactions of a few recalcitrant ones. She further revealed that the invigilators will not be retained in a particular class for the full tenure of the examinations but will be rotated.
Mrs Kate Biney revealed that the candidates have been well prepared for the examinations ahead.
“Even when there was a strike, candidates were going to school in mufti and teachers met to teach them and they were doing peer teaching as well.
In my catchment area, Nana Brempon, Coba Yalley and the Effia area even when the schools were locked the pupils were there being prepared. The problem is the perception of “apor” (leakage) so I conditioned them that the “apor” is the past questions and the more they kept on solving them it leaves them better prepared;” she emphasised.
A total of 552, 276 candidates from 18,501 schools will on Monday, October 17, start this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
A statement issued by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) in Accra on Thursday said this year’s examination would be run for both school and private candidates at 2,023 centres throughout the country.
The statement said, “the entry figure is made up of 276,988 males and 275,288 females. The number of candidates that registered for this year’s BECE is 3.48 per cent less than the 2021 entry figure of 572,167.
In respect of the BECE for Private Candidates (PC), 1,132 candidates made up of 634 males and 498females entered the examination.”
According to the statement, the examination would be taken at 15 selected centres in the regional capitals.
It said the number of registered candidates for the 2022 BECE was 6.09 per cent higher than the 2021 figure of 1067.
The Council assured the public that all appropriate measures had been put in place to safeguard test security and the successful conduct of the examination.
The Accra office of the West African Examination Council (WAEC) has mentioned difficulty in reading and understanding test items as some of the challenges faced by hearing-impaired candidates in WAEC examinations.
It said such candidates were also affected by the lack of or inadequate sign language interpreters during examinations, and mixing them with hearing candidates in the examination hall.
These, it said, had left them with unencouraging performances at WAEC examinations.
It said while such candidates performed better in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), they did not do well in West African Senior Schools Certificate Examinations (WASSCE), especially in English and Mathematics.
An assessment test accommodations conducted by the Accra Section of WAEC from 2016 to 2021 revealed that with the exception of 2019 and 2020 that hearing-impaired candidates did well in their examinations, their performance over the years, especially in English Language, Mathematics and Integrated Science in WASSCE had not been encouraging.
Seminar
The acting Head of the Accra Section of the Research Department of WAEC, Kwaku Dankwa, who made the disclosure at a virtual seminar to deliver the findings of the assessment, said from the test assessment, the reasons identified for the poor performance of the candidates in their examinations included unsuitable questions, language barrier, limited vocabulary, absence of learning outside the classroom, poor language and poor spelling.
He said the hearing-impaired saw English Language as a barrier because they were taught in sign language although they were examined in English Language.
Furthermore, he said, the hearing-impaired had limited vocabulary because in the sign language, they did not sign every word for which reason they were not familiar with some of the words they met during examination, hence they did not understand them to enable them to answer the questions properly.
“The kind of incidental learning that the hearing child have an advantage of, they don’t have that. At any point in time, somebody has to be with them trying to explain things to them using sign language because that is the mode of learning they are used to,” he added.
Stats
Mr Dankwa said WAEC, as the examining body, would engage stakeholders such as the Ministry of Education to reduce the challenges hearing-impaired candidates faced in their examinations in order that they were not left behind.
In 2016 for instance when 158 hearing-impaired candidates sat for the WASSCE, male hearing-impaired candidates who had between grades A1 to C6 in English Language were 11.4 per cent, while the females were 8.1 per cent.
That of Mathematics for the same grades were 9.4 per cent for males and 4.8 per cent for females, while for Integrated Science in the same year, 4.8 per cent females scored grades A1 to C6 and the males had 9.4 per cent.
Mr Dankwa said the respondents suggested that WAEC should make available sign language interpreters during examinations; recruit special education practitioners and sign language experts to mark scripts of hearing-impaired candidates; modify questions for hearing-impaired candidates as alternative papers, and examine sign language as a core subject as an alternative to English Language.
On the way forward, the assessment called on the Ghana Education Service (GES) to train and post more special education experts and teachers who understand sign language to the special and inclusive schools to help hearing-impaired students to build the needed vocabulary.
It further called for WAEC to explore the use of alternative assessment test formats which focused on standard sign language and objective responses such as fill-ins.
Discussion
During the open discussion segment, some hearing-impaired students said when announcements were made during examinations, there were usually no sign language interpreters to interprete to them, causing them to make mistakes.
The Chairman for the programme, Prof. Samuel Kweku Hayford, of the Department of Special Education, University of Education, Winneba, remarked that sign language was being seriously taken care of in the education review policy.
He called for efforts to develop sign language so that right from kindergarten, children would be introduced to it.
The assessment
The study population included all hearing-impaired students and their teachers in the 15 public schools for the deaf in Ghana; heads of schools for the deaf; special education coordinators from GES, WAEC officers, special education lecturers, hearing-impaired university undergraduates in Ghana and officials of the Ghana National Association for the Deaf.
All junior high school candidates, who will write this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE) in the Sagnarigu Municipality of the Northern Region, have undergone orientation on the rules and regulations of the West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC) regarding the BECE.
It was to prepare them adequately for the BECE for improved performance.
This year’s BECE would begin on October 17.
The orientation was organised by the Sagnarigu Municipal Directorate of Education with support from the Centre for Active Learning and Integrated Development, a non-governmental organisation, based in Tamale.
During the event, the students sought clarifications on issues regarding the BECE.
Mr Bob Basharu, Examinations Officer at the Sagnarigu Municipal Directorate of Education, who spoke during the event in Tamale, urged the candidates to avoid health risks and prepare themselves psychologically ahead of the examinations.
He urged them to psych themselves as individuals, who would write the examinations independent of others.
Mr Bashiru encouraged them to seek their teachers’ assistance for clarity on topics they deemed difficult to enable them to prepare well for the examination.
He urged them to set goals for themselves in terms of desired grades and aggregates to serve as motivation to work hard towards achieving them.
Madam Linda Amoah, Northern Regional Girl-Child Education Coordinator, encouraged candidates, who were pregnant or nursing babies, not to boycott the examination and appealed to their mates to give them the needed support.
Madam Zelia Mahamadu, Sagnarigu Municipal Guidance and Counseling Coordinator took the candidates through career sessions, and encouraged them to manage examination anxiety well to perform creditably during the BECE.
The Ghana National Council for Private Schools (GNACOPS) has demanded that the government remove the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) from Ghana’s education system as soon as possible.
The Council contends that the examination body is no longer relevant and has not made much progress in the nation’s educational system.
The group also claimed that the WAEC is impractical and ignorant when it comes to fostering students’ development, which will ultimately make it difficult for Ghana to get out of its long-term economic and developmental difficulties.
WAEC’s report criticized private schools for flouting the exam-related laws and regulations documented by the examination commission.
The examination body further alleged that over 20 people have been detained at private schools’ examination centres for allegedly impersonating candidates in the ongoing WASSCE.
However, speaking to the media on Wednesday, September 21, the National Executive Director for GNACOPS, Enoch Kwesi Gyetuah, disputed the claims by WAEC that malpractice was pervasive in private schools.
“Private school owners and their teachers that are linked to these exam centres are not allowed to be part of the team that will monitor the exams,” he added.
According to Mr Gyetuah, the assertions by WAEC are devoid of legal findings and evidence hence, the public should pay no heed to WAEC’s accusations against private schools.
Meanwhile, Executive Director for GNACOPS has encouraged WAEC to deploy scannable machines to exam centres to help address impersonation and other exam malpractices rather than apportioning blame to private schools.
“WAEC should have been able to adopt technological structures to eradicate most of these rampant issues that they have been complaining about all the time,” Mr. Gyetuah emphasized.
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) was founded in 1952 by the governments of Ghana (then Gold Coast).
WAEC Ghana examinations in the public interest, awards certificates, and ensures that the certificates issued do not represent lower standards of achievement than equivalent certificates issued by examining authorities in the United Kingdom.
On the other hand, Ghana National council of private schools (GNACOPS), is an advocacy and results orientation organization that is bent on promoting educational pluralism to the needy communities in Ghana.
Ghana National Council for Private Schools (GNACOPS) wants the government to immediately scrap the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
The Council contends that the examination body has outlived its usefulness and has failed to contribute positively toward educational development in Ghana.
This demand follows recent findings by WAEC in the ongoing West African Senior Schools Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
The report by WAEC cited and slurred the private schools for disregarding the rules and regulations regarding the exams.
Speaking to Citi News, the National Executive Director for GNACOPS, Enoch Kwesi Gyetuah, said WAEC has failed in the organisation of examinations and must be collapsed.
“We are calling for the total scrapping of the council based on the fact that they have shown gross incompetence in terms of the delivery of their mandate.”
“WAEC should have been able to adopt technological structures to eradicate most of these rampant issues that they have been complaining about all the time,” Mr. Gyetuah said.
He also pushed back against the suggestion that malpractice was rampant in private schools.
“Private school owners and their teachers that are linked to these exam centres are not allowed to be part of the team that will monitor the exams,” Mr. Gyetuah said.
The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has raised concerns over a number of infractions detected in the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
The Council in a statement said it has received intelligence that some school authorities are collecting monies from candidates and organizing syndicate cheating in their schools.
WAEC also mentioned that it had “observed that impersonation cases, which hitherto were not being recorded in school examinations, are on the increase.â€
Consequently, “some impersonators have been arrested in the ongoing examination and are in the grips of the law,†the council said.
It, thus, has issued a stern warning to students engaging in such acts and invigilators/teachers supervising the aforementioned practices to refrain from them.
The exam is written by candidates in Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone and The Gambia and Ghana.
Although Ghanaian candidates began the exam in August, candidates in the other West African countries started in May, in line with the pre-COVID academic calendar.
The 2022 WASSCE is being administered to 422,883 candidates from 977 schools in Ghana. There are 673 public schools, an increase from 651 in 2021, and 304 private schools.
Students are expected to write exams on four core subjects, in addition to 56 (respective) elective subjects.
Students who pass the exam receive a certificate confirming their graduation from secondary education.
Preparations for WASSCE and the aftermath
Although the Council spearheading the exam (i.e WAEC) instituted various measures to check examination malpractices prior to the conduct of the exam, it has been reported that there have been various breaches so far.
“The West African Senior School Certificate Examination (Ghana only version) enters its fifth week with the conduct of two core papers, Social Studies and English Language to be administered on 5th and 8th September, 2022
respectively. The Council wishes to bring to the attention of stakeholders and members of the public a number of issues which are emerging from the conduct of the examination.
“Reports reaching the Council indicate that some school authorities have adopted the practice of locking their school gates during the examination period with the aim of preventing WAEC Inspectors and Monitors from gaining access into their school compounds to monitor the examination,†it said.
School authorities, especially those engaged in this act, are thus directed to desist from the practice as such activities amount to acts of examination irregularities.
The council also mentioned that some schools are flouting the ban on the use of mobile phones in the examination hall. While calling on school authorities to keep this under check, WAEC also cautioned students to desist from the act since their results can be cancelled when they are caught.
“A number of candidates have been caught with mobile phones in examination halls. Candidates are reminded that their entire results will be cancelled when they are caught with mobile phones in the examination halls. The Council wishes to call upon school authorities, supervisors, invigilators, parents, and guardians to ensure that candidates abide by this rule.â€
“Supervisors and invigilators are also being reminded of the ban on their use of mobile phones at examination centres,†it said.
It also stated that it had received reports of syndicated cheating in schools.
“Perpetrators of these acts are being cautioned to desist from them. The Council has the mandate to de-recognise schools caught engaging in this malpractice. Candidates identified as having colluded would have their results canceled,†it said.
Nonetheless, the Council said it is working closely with the Ghana Education Service, the National Intelligence Bureau and other security operatives to check infringements of the rules and regulations governing the ongoing examination.
“Some hot spots have been identified and monitoring of these centers has been intensified,†it stressed.
“The Council urges all stakeholders to collaborate with it to safeguard the integrity of the examination,†it added.
