2024 WASSCE Results: Ghana to Lose WAEC Headquarters to Nigeria Over GHS73m Debt

WISDOM K.E HAMMOND 2 weeks ago

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) Ghana risks losing its status as WAEC’s international headquarters to Nigeria due to an alarming GHS73 million debt owed by the government of Ghana.

WAEC’s financial stability has been severely impacted since the government began financing the examination fees for BECE and WASSCE candidates in public schools. While this policy has alleviated the financial burden on parents, frequent delays in government payments have disrupted WAEC’s operations, often causing delays in the marking and release of BECE and WASSCE results.

Funds owed to WAEC by the Government of Ghana as of 20th November 2024 was estimated at 155.86 million. Some of the debts date back to the 2022 WASSCE. As of December 2022, the government owed WAEC 9.97 million. In 2023, WAEC was owed additional 30.49 million. By the end of the 2024 BECE and WASSE government’s debt went up by an additional $4.94 million.

Category	Amount Owed (GH₵)	Payments Received (GH₵)	Outstanding Balance (GH₵)
BECE 2024	95.84 million	90.90 million	4.94 million
WASSCE 2023	106.47 million	75.98 million	30.49 million
WASSCE 2022	9.97 million		9.97 million
Total	212.28 million	166.88 million	155.86 million

The fate of the 2024 West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results hangs in the balance as the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) grapples with a crippling debt exceeding GH₵155 million owed by the government.

READ: Biography Of The Ghana Education Service

For instance, in 2024, WAEC had to wait until the eleventh hour for government funding to mark the 2024 BECE scripts. This led to delays in releasing results since marking was postponed at least twice. The council now faces mounting financial pressure, jeopardizing its ability to carry out its core functions effectively.

GhanaEducation.org has learned that Ghana may soon lose WAEC’s international headquarters status to Nigeria if the government does not settle the outstanding debt. This development poses significant risks to WAEC Ghana’s reputation and its capacity to maintain smooth examination processes.

Read: Gov’t yet to clear 2021 BECE, WASSCE debt owed WAEC – Minority

WAEC is urgently appealing to the government to clear the debt to ensure its continued operations and safeguard its international standing. If the government delays in paying the current GHS73 million owed WAEC, the results of WASSCE (SC) will delay, and that will also delay admissions into universities across the country.