The Ghana Education Service (GES) has officially rescheduled the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), shifting the examination period from August 5 to September 27.
This alteration deviates from the previously announced timeframe of July 1 to August 31, 2024.
Concurrently, the 2024 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) remains scheduled for July 8 to July 12.
In a circular dated March 12, 2024, addressed to regional directors, the acting Director of the Schools and Instructions Division of GES, Prince C. Agyemang-Duah, communicated the revised WASSCE date.
The communication emphasized the need for all senior high school (SHS) heads to acknowledge and prepare candidates accordingly for the updated examination period.
This new schedule supersedes the earlier one and aims to provide candidates with ample time for preparation.
While no official reason was provided for the date change, sources suggest it is to ensure candidates are adequately prepared for the examination.
Head of Public Affairs at the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), John Kapi, confirmed that Ghana would proceed with the Ghana Only Version of the WASSCE-SC due to the shift in dates.
This marks the third time Ghanaian candidates will sit for the WASSCE-SC exclusively, as other WAEC member countries—Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and The Gambia—have reverted to their traditional May/June examination calendar post-COVID-19.
Mr Kapi clarified misconceptions surrounding the Ghana Only Version, emphasizing that it adheres to the same rigorous standards as the examination administered in other WAEC member countries.
The examination process, content compilation, and grading standards remain unchanged, ensuring parity with international standards.
Despite the adjustment in the examination schedule, Mr Kapi affirmed that WAEC remains committed to releasing results promptly to facilitate students’ transition to tertiary institutions.
“It is just that we have decided to push ours further so that our students are able to make time for it to be able to write and write it well,” he explained.
“We usually have a timetable after examinations.
So, obviously yes.
Yes, I believe so,” he added.
Additionally, he noted that registration for the WASSCE-SC commenced on March 11 and will conclude on April 19, 2024.