The Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS) has urged the Ministry of Education to establish an independent review committee to assess the marking of the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). The council alleges that candidates from private schools were “unfairly marked” compared to their counterparts in public schools.
In an interview with GTV on Tuesday, August 4, GNACOPS Executive Director Obenfo Nana Kwasi Gyetuah stated that the council has gathered “credible evidence” indicating that the grades awarded to many private school candidates do not reflect their academic performance or continuous assessment records.
He noted that more than 14,000 private schools have raised concerns following a nationwide feedback exercise, and a petition will be submitted to the Minister of Education with support from affected students and parents. “We are the ones who submitted the continuous assessment records to the ministry through the Ghana Education Service, so when we say the WAEC results do not reflect the true academic performance of these learners, we know exactly what we are talking about,” Gyetuah emphasised.
“And so, we have evidence here, I mean, data to prove to the point that, yes indeed, the results of the grades that have been issued to the learners, for the performance of it, does not commensurate or does not reflect their academic performance over the years.”
According to Mr Gyetuah, GNACOPS’ primary request is for the ministry to establish an independent review committee to reassess WAEC’s work and determine whether the results accurately reflect candidates’ performance.
He also called on WAEC to release candidates’ examination scripts for independent scrutiny, arguing that greater transparency and accountability are needed to restore public confidence in the examination process.
“As I’m talking to you now, I can confirm that since last Saturday, when we made the clarion call to our members, over 14,000 schools have shown concern in this issue, who are private schools. And so, a petition has been sent down.”
“Our main argument, or the relief that we are seeking for, is that in order not to disrupt the academic career of these learners, the ministry should set up an independent review committee to review the work that the WAEC has done. Over the years, WAEC has been a master and a servant to itself. And it is now time we ask accountability from them, of the work that they have done, he stated.
Mr Gyetuah said GNACOPS has also been invited to appear before Parliament’s Education Committee to present its evidence and has directed member schools to provide counselling support to students affected by the disputed results while efforts continue to seek a resolution.
Ministry’s take
Responding to the concern raised by the private schools, the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu urged GNACOPS to engage the ministry with credible evidence of any irregularities that may have compromised the integrity of the assessment process. “I am not responsible for the conduct of exams. The West African Examinations Council is,” Mr Iddrisu who was speaking on Ghana Television’s current affairs programme, Breakfast Show, on Tuesday, said.
“I understand that the private schools are very unhappy. Justifiably, what they should do is to reach out to me with legitimate evidence of any underhandedness that undermined the integrity of the examinations,” the minister added. Mr Iddrisu maintained that, in the absence of evidence of malpractice, the results reflect an examination properly conducted by WAEC.
Source: Beatrice Laryea
