The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has been given a week’s notice by the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) to release all 2024 WASSCE results that have been withheld or face widespread protests.
The union is also calling for the head of WAEC Ghana to be fired for allegedly treating candidates unfairly when they are accused of cheating on exams.
WAEC’s refusal to give impacted students a fair hearing prior to removing or canceling their results has drawn criticism from NUGS. Additionally, the union charged that WAEC purposefully postponed results until after university admissions deadlines, which prevented students from being placed in public universities.
Furthermore, NUGS argued that only the impacted paper should be void, criticizing the practice of removing all results for students found to have engaged in academic dishonesty in a single subject. The union also bemoaned the absence of a suitable appeals process that would allow students to contest WAEC’s rulings.
These complaints were formally addressed in a letter to WAEC on January 2, 2025, according to NUGS, but the council has not yet given a favorable response.
Daniel Korley, the president of NUGS, threatened to hold widespread protests if their demands were not met during a media briefing. In order to stop future injustices against students, he also demanded that WAEC undergo immediate institutional reforms.
“Education is a fundamental right, and WAEC must uphold justice, transparency, and accountability. The credibility of WAEC is at stake if students and the general public lose confidence in its fairness.
“We demand immediate reforms to address these injustices. If WAEC fails to act, NUGS will escalate this matter through legal and advocacy channels, including seeking judicial intervention.
“We urge all students to remain calm but resolute in demanding their rights. NUGS stands with every student affected by WAEC’s actions, and we will not rest until justice is served,” he stated.
