The fate of the 2024 West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results hangs in the balance as the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) grapples with a crippling debt exceeding GH₵155 million owed by the government.
With the much-anticipated release of the 2024 WASSCE results scheduled for December 9, 2024, WAEC is now facing a serious crisis that could delay or disrupt the release of these critical results.
According to the Head of Public Relations at WAEC, John Kapi, the situation has become dire, with the examination body struggling to maintain the necessary resources to carry out its duties.
“We are in a very difficult position right now,” Mr. Kapi said, citing the outstanding arrears owed by the government for previous years’ exams. “Not only are we dealing with significant financial constraints, but there are also operational challenges, particularly with our scanning machines for objective tests and other machines, which are malfunctioning due to lack of proper maintenance.”
The debt owed by the government is substantial. WAEC has confirmed that, as of 2024, the total arrears for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), WASSCE, and other exams stand at an alarming GH₵155.86 million.
In the case of BECE, the government owes GH₵4.94 million for the 2024 session, while the WASSCE arrears are far more significant.
Of this amount, GH₵30.49 million is owed for 2023, and an additional GH₵9.97 million for 2022.
Despite the large amounts owed, WAEC has managed to receive some payments.
For BECE 2024, the government has already paid GH₵90.90 million, but the balance remains GH₵4.94 million.
For WASSCE, a partial payment of GH₵75.98 million has been made, but a staggering GH₵155.86 million remains unpaid.
The financial crisis facing WAEC is having far-reaching implications. The exam body’s ability to ensure the smooth processing of the WASSCE results is being severely compromised.
The malfunctioning scanning machines, essential for grading objective tests, are a key point of concern.
“If we are unable to fix or replace the machines, it could delay the processing of results,” Mr. Kapi warned.
He added that this could affect the timely release of the 2024 WASSCE results, which are eagerly awaited by thousands of students, parents, and schools across the country.
The outstanding debt, coupled with the operational challenges, paints a grim picture for the efficiency of WAEC’s operations in Ghana.
As the December 9 deadline for the WASSCE results approaches, students and educational stakeholders are anxiously awaiting updates, unsure of whether the government’s debt will be settled in time to ensure a smooth and timely release of the results.
The exam body is therefore expecting that some payment will be made by the government to salvage the situation and keep the timetable and schedules of WAEC intact.
To the body, the further the delay, the more consequences it will have on exam organization and its activities.
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