WAEC Defends BECE Marking Integrity as Private Schools Demand Independent Audit Over Bias Allegations

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has strongly rejected allegations of bias and unfair marking brought by private school associations following the release of the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results. Organizations such as the Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS) and the Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS) have raised concerns over a perceived disparity between students' continuous assessment scores and their final examination grades. They argue that these inconsistencies could unfairly disadvantage private school candidates during the highly competitive Senior High School (SHS) placement process. In response, WAEC’s Head of Public Affairs, John Kapi, emphasized that the Council employs a uniform marking scheme and a stanine grading system that treats all candidates as a single cohort, regardless of whether they attend public or private institutions.

Despite WAEC's assurances, GNACOPS has announced plans to present a formal petition to the Ministry of Education on August 7, 2026, calling for an independent review of the results. The association is advocating for greater transparency and accountability, suggesting that an independent audit would restore public confidence in the assessment system. While John Kapi stated that WAEC is open to a professional independent audit and will process individual requests for remarking through established channels, he explicitly rejected the idea of allowing private school associations to conduct their own direct scrutiny of candidate scripts. Meanwhile, education advocacy group Eduwatch has used the controversy to reiterate its call for an independent regulator to oversee assessment bodies, ensuring a more transparent appeals process for the future.

Adding a different perspective to the discourse, the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has appealed for calm among parents, candidates, and educational stakeholders. GNAT General Secretary Thomas Tanko Musah cautioned against hasty condemnations of WAEC, urging dissatisfied parties to use formal petitioning processes rather than spreading unverified claims. Musah also highlighted the potential psychological impact on students, warning that high-stakes pressure and adult speculation regarding the results could lead to serious emotional distress for the children involved. He encouraged a measured, supportive response to protect the well-being of the graduates while they navigate their next academic steps.

Amidst the marking controversy, a record 620,000 BECE graduates are currently participating in a revised Senior High School selection process. Under new guidelines introduced by the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES), students now select their preferred second-cycle schools after receiving their results. This policy shift is intended to help students and parents make more informed choices based on actual performance, reducing the likelihood of students with lower grades being displaced from oversubscribed Category A schools. As the selection process concludes, the Ministry and WAEC remain under pressure to maintain the credibility of the transition system while addressing the grievances of the private education sector.