WAEC Urges Private Schools to Follow Proper Channels Over BECE Marking Concerns
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has urged the Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS) to formally present its concerns over the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) marking process to the Council through the appropriate channels.
WAEC’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. John K. Kapi, made the call in an interview on the Kyzz FM Morning Show on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, following allegations by private schools that their candidates were unfairly marked.
Mr. Kapi said WAEC had not officially received a petition from GNAPS detailing the specific technical or administrative challenges it wants the Council to investigate. He noted that WAEC’s understanding of the concerns had largely been based on reports circulating in the media.
He explained that while the BECE is a national examination conducted on behalf of the Ministry of Education, WAEC is responsible for key technical processes, including setting, moderation, conduct and marking of the examination.
According to him, concerns relating to marking or assessment should therefore first be formally submitted to WAEC before being escalated to the Ministry.
Mr. Kapi also rejected suggestions that private school candidates could easily be deliberately marked down, explaining that examiners do not have access to information indicating whether a candidate comes from a private or public school. Scripts are identified by unique numbers and are also exchanged across the country for marking.
He acknowledged that errors, such as a candidate receiving a grade for a subject not written or having a registered language changed, can occur and said WAEC has mechanisms to identify and correct such issues.
On calls for a broader audit of the 2026 BECE results, Mr. Kapi said WAEC would need to examine the details and merit of the complaint before determining whether such an exercise was necessary or whether it would have financial implications.
He further reminded candidates and schools that there is currently a three-month period within which concerns about individual results can be submitted for review or remarking upon payment of the prescribed fee.
Mr. John K Kapi therefore encouraged GNAPS to formally submit its evidence and concerns to WAEC, saying the Council would then be able to properly investigate the allegations and determine what action, if any, should be taken.