Only ¢2m out of ¢95m needed for BECE paid to WAEC – EduWatch

Only GH¢2 million out of GH¢95 million required for the conduct of the 2024 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) has been paid by the Ministry of Finance to the West African Examinations Council, Africa Education Watch has said.

The Executive Director of EduWatch, Mr Kofi Asare who made the revelation in a social media post sighted by Thisterm.com has called on the government to release the remaining balance as the examination draws near.

“Only GH¢2 million out of GH¢95 million required for 2024 BECE has been paid by MoF to WAEC. Please, release the cash. The Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) is right here!” the Director of the education think tank stated.

The 2024 edition of the national examination for final year Junior High School (JHS) students will be administered by the not-for-profit-making organization (WAEC) from Monday, July 8, 2024, and end on Monday, July 15, 2024.

In related news, the Minority in Parliament last year issued a warning that the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) are at risk unless the government promptly clears all outstanding debts owed to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).

Speaking to journalists, the Minority Spokesperson on Education, Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, said WAEC urgently requires over GH¢‎50 million to settle its financial obligations and ensure the seamless organization of the 2023 examinations.

The Akatsi North member of Parliament 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.

“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

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?” the Minority Spokesperson on Education told journalists in Parliament.