The Ministry of Education has stated that Ghana has not pulled out of the West African Examination Council (WAEC) system for the West African Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
“Indeed, the Headquarters of WAEC is and has always been in Accra, and the current country rotational chair of the Council is Ghana, with Professor Ato Essuman as Chairman.
“Our students sit for the same WASSCE as the other four member countries (Nigeria, The Gambia, Sierra Leone and Liberia) and have done so during the same period until 2022,” a statement issued by the Public Relations Unit of the ministry has stated.
The statement said when the COVID-19 pandemic triggered the closure of schools globally, including the West African Sub-region, Ghana led the other member countries to reopen schools and sat for the exams at the same time in 2020 and 2021.
“So, it cannot be said that Ghana has pulled out of the exams since 2016,” it said in response to a comment by former President John Mahama that Ghana had pulled out of the WASSCE and currently writes Ghana School Leaving Examination.
The statement explained that following the re-opening of schools post-COVID-19, “Ghana began running a transitional school calendar, with the academic year beginning in January and ending in December.
“In order not to shortchange our future leaders and to ensure that the students complete the syllabus prior to sitting for the WASSCE, Ghana, in 2022 and 2023, sat for the exams at a different period than the other member countries,” it further explained.
Quality assurance
The statement added that in 2022 and 2023, the exams the students took were set by WAEC with the same international standardisation as the other member countries.
“For the avoidance of doubt, all the papers are compiled by subject officers across the five member countries where the subject officers are found.
“This means that the papers our students wrote are not necessarily set by Ghanaian subject officers unless that particular subject officer is located in Ghana,” the statement explained.
It explained that additionally, after the exams, WAEC conducts the International Preliminary Coordination Meeting with participants from member countries (Chief Examiners and team leaders) to finalise the Marking Schemes for marking.
“Meaning that the standards and marking schemes are done with the member countries.
“Standard Fixing and Grade Award Meetings to set the Grade Boundaries are conducted by WAEC, with participants from member countries for the various subjects,” the statement said.
Performance
The statement said it was worth noting that over the past six years, students had consistently performed better in the WASSCE as a result of the notable interventions provided as part of the Free SHS policy.
It said at the International Excellence Awards, where WAEC awards high performing candidates, “Ghana has always competed since its inception, including 2021 and 2022.
“Indeed, in the 2022 Awards, two candidates from Ghana, Alex Opoku Manu and Benjamin Eyram Nana Kwame Degbey, both from St. James Seminary SHS, Sunyani, picked up the first and second prizes respectively while a candidate from Nigeria picked the third prize,” it said.
The statement said that in the year 2020, Ghana recorded 411 eight A1s out of the 465 across West Africa.
“The ministry wishes to assure our students, parents, guardians and the general public that the quality of education and examinations at all levels, including the WASSCE, will not be compromised.
“We encourage all stakeholders to disregard any information claiming that Ghana has pulled out of the WASSCE,” the statement assured.
