For this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), the government has allocated GH¢55 million to the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC).
Public Relations Officer of WAEC, Winifred Ampiaw, confirming receipt of the money said, “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 received, 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 assured.
The Minority had previously asserted that the government’s failure to fulfill its financial obligations to WAEC could prevent the 2023 WASSCE and BECE from taking place.
Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, the Minority’s spokesperson on Education in parliament, expressed concern about the fact that WAEC urgently needs more than GH¢50 million to pay its debts and ensure the smooth administration of the 2023 exams in a statement to reporters.
He cited the government’s refusal to release funds for compensating people who provided their services during the 2022 WASSCE as one of the current difficulties WAEC is facing.
In response to the Minority’s claims the Deputy Minister of Education, Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, said the government is working to settle the remaining debt.
“I wish to state emphatically that all arrangements to begin BECE on August 7 are in place, nothing has changed. BECE will be conducted by WAEC unabated. There were some concerns of indebtedness which were brought to our attention. As of yesterday [July 26], an amount of GH¢40 million has been paid to WAEC, to support them in their operations,” Reverend Ntim-Fordjour explained.
