WAEC reveals the exact amount received for 2024 BECE & WASSCE

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) following media reports the central government has released GH¢80 million to them for the conduct of this year’s BECE and WASSCE for School has said the reports are untrue.

WAEC clarification comes after the Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh announced in Parliament on Friday, June 21, 2024, that the government through the Ministry of Finance has released GH¢80 million to the Council.

But a spokesman for the not-for-profit-making organization reacting to the Majority Chief Whip’s claim said his outfit has received only GH¢47.125 million from the government contrary to the GH¢80 million announced in Parliament.

Even with that, the Head of Public Affairs – WAEC, John Kapi said it has been processed through the Government Integrated Financial Management System (GIFMIS), and that it was yet to be translated into real cash.

Kapi had earlier told Daily Graphic that WAEC had received just about GH¢2.3 million out of GH¢95.83 million required to successfully facilitate the Basic Education Certificate Examination and West African Senior School Certificate Examination.

He insisted that WAEC would require not less than 50 per cent of the total amount to enable it to conduct the examination and a further release of more funds to enable it to process and release the examinations results.

The Public Relations Officer (PRO) for the not-for-money-making organization (WAEC) expressed fears that the examination might not be conducted as scheduled if the funds were not made available in time.

 “A number of suppliers out of goodwill have supplied materials such as bond paper for printing of codes, consumables for the printing machines, answer booklets, pencils and other examination stationery on credit.

As a result of our indebtedness, they are unwilling to supply any further materials for the next examination, which is the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates 2024,” Mr Kapi disclosed.

Commenting on the impact of the late release of funds, the spokesperson said the current financial state of the institution affected every aspect of the conduct of the national (BECE) and International examinations (WASSCE)

For instance, Mr Kapi explained, the situation had made the conduct of its mandated examinations expensive, stressing that “we have to airfreight some of the items needed for the examinations due to late purchases” instead of ordering to receive them by sea.

Mr Kapi said because of the delayed payments from relevant bodies for the examination logistical materials, the council had no option but to airfreight the script envelopes, which would cost about $29,000 instead of the sea freight, which would have cost the council about $6,500.

He explained further that currently, the council urgently needed script envelopes for the examination, adding that what was available in its possession was not enough even for the BECE, not to talk of the WASSCE, which would follow the BECE within a month by the current schedule.

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) official explained that over the years, the council had been receiving its examination materials through sea freight, but that, he said, was not possible this year because there was no time.

Mr John Kapi told the Daily Graphic newspaper that some of the items bought locally were exorbitant because “we buy on credit, and this limits our ability to negotiate for good prices”.

For the efficient conduct of the examinations, he said, the Examinations Council currently did not have the needed resources in the form of personnel and equipment such as scanners and biometric equipment to check malpractice.

“As it is now, we are unable to introduce innovations geared at curbing malpractices,” the Head of Public Affairs of the West African Examinations Council told the Daily Graphic, describing it as a worrying situation. 

Mr Kapi said because of delays in payments in previous engagements, there had been agitation on the part of supervisors, invigilators, examiners and script checkers.