2024 BECE Might Be Cancelled Due to Lack of Funds

The West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) has announced that the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) scheduled for July 2024 might be cancelled. The reason for this potential cancellation is dues to the lack of funds.

WAEC is worried because the government has not provided the necessary funds to prepare and conduct the exams. With the exam date of July 8, 2024, quickly approaching, there is not enough time to buy the needed supplies.

John Kapi, the Director of Public Affairs at WAEC, spoke on Joy FM’s Midday News about the issue. He said that WAEC is still owed ₵698,500 for previous exams. For the upcoming 2024 exams, WAEC expects to receive a total of ₵95,837,306 from the government. So far, they have only received ₵2,284,618, which means they still need ₵93,552,688 to run the BECE.

The Minority group in the Education Committee of Parliament raised this issue earlier this week. They are asking the government to come up with a payment plan. Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, the Ranking Member of the Education Committee, suggested a meeting with the Finance Minister, the Education Minister, and WAEC officials to discuss how to release the necessary funds. He emphasized the need for financial resources to prepare for both the BECE in July and the WASSCE in August.

However, Dr. Prince Hamidu Armah, the Vice Chairman of the committee, downplayed the urgency, saying that such financial issues have been common for the past decade. He mentioned that the government paid over ₵80 million for BECE in 2023 and has already paid ₵2.5 million plus an additional ₵6 million for 2024. He insisted that the government is committed to ensuring the exams are conducted.

The education and health sectors in the country are suffering due to high inflation, which was at 23.1% in May 2024, down from 25% in April 2024. These sectors have seen significant declines, with little sign of improvement. Government Statistician Prof. Samuel Kobina Annim called for urgent and practical measures from government institutions to address these issues.

These ongoing financial problems have sparked a broader discussion on the importance of securing funds for educational initiatives and the overall stability of the examination system.