The Minority in Parliament has warned that the conduct of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in 2023 is jeopardized unless the government promptly clears all outstanding debts owed to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).

In a conversation with the media in Parliament, Minority Spokesperson on Education Peter Nortsu-Kotoe voiced worry that WAEC urgently needs more than GH 50 million to meet its financial obligations and enable the smooth conduct of the 2023 examinations.

Peter Nortsu-Kotoe emphasized WAEC’s current issues, citing the government’s refusal to provide cash for compensating persons who offered services during the 2022 WASSCE.

Allowances owed to supervisors, invigilators, examiners, and other workers involved in the examination process are included.

“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,” Nortsu-Koto stated.

“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?”