2023 WASSCE and BECE, in jeopardy over government’s debt – Minority warns

According to the Minority in Parliament, the smooth administration of the WASSCE and BECE in 2023 are in jeopardy, unless the government immediately settles all outstanding debts owed to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).

Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, the minority spokesperson on education, expressed concern about the fact that WAEC urgently needs more than GH 50 million to settle its financial obligations and ensure the smooth administration of the 2023 exams while speaking to journalists in Parliament.

He referred to the government’s failure to release funds for compensating people who provided their services during the 2022 WASSCE as one of the current challenges faced by WAEC.

This covers the compensation due to managers, invigilators, examiners, and other exam-related staff members.

“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?”