The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) has announced the suspension of its planned demonstration against the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) over the withholding and cancellation of results for some students who sat for the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). The protest, originally scheduled for Tuesday, February 25, was intended to exert pressure on WAEC to release the results of affected students, many of whom have been left in limbo regarding their admission into tertiary institutions and future academic prospects.
However, just hours before the planned demonstration, NUGS released a statement on its social media platforms announcing a suspension of the protest, citing new commitments made by WAEC. According to the statement from NUGS, the decision to suspend the protest was reached after an emergency meeting with WAEC officials and the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES).
During this meeting, WAEC gave firm assurances that all pending withheld results would be released by March 1, 2025. “Following an emergency meeting with West African Examinations Council (WAEC) officials and the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, NUGS – National Union of Ghana Students has suspended the planned demonstration scheduled for 25th February 2025.
“WAEC has given firm assurances that all pending withheld results will be released by the 1st of March 2025,” the statement read. Many have expressed frustration over the delays, with some even alleging that WAEC has been unfair in its handling of examination malpractice cases, leading to unnecessary cancellations. The controversy surrounding the 2024 WASSCE results began when WAEC withheld and cancelled the results of several students over alleged examination malpractice.
This action affected hundreds of students across the country, sparking outrage among students, parents, and educational stakeholders. As Ghana’s leading student advocacy body, NUGS had initially demanded that WAEC immediately release the results or provide transparency on why certain results were withheld.
According to the union, WAEC’s decision to hold back the results had far-reaching consequences for affected students, many of whom need their results for university admissions and scholarship applications.
By: Kabah Atawoge
