As students get ready to sit for the 2022 WASSCE and BECE, the minority in parliament has revealed that government owes WAEC for the 2021 BECE, and WASSCE examinations conducted.
According to Hon. Peter Nortsu Kotoe, Member of Parliament for Akatsi North, the government is yet to clear (GH₵ 15,790,072.00) which is the the 2021 outstanding debt.
In 2017, the government introduced the Free BECE and WASSCE registration for candidates in public Junior High Schools and Senior High Schools. The government has therefore been paying the full cost of the examination for the past four years as part of efforts to reduce the cost of education and the burden on parents whose wards attend public JHS and SHS.
The Minister of Education stated that the Government owes GH₵15,790,072.00 for the WASSCE and GH₵ 7,221,755.00 for the BECE (7,221,755.00). According to him, the amount owed for the exams was GH₵ 23,011,827.00. To address the problem, the Ministry of Education has been instructed by the government to increase the pace of its allocation of funds to the Council.
The minister complained about the delay in paying WAEC, which has also led to the delay in the payment of examiners and invigilators of the 2021 BECE and WASSCE.
“Mr. Speaker, it is disheartening to know that persons who supervised and invigilated the BECE for school candidates, as well as script checkers for 2021, are yet to be paid the allowances due them.
“Mr Speaker, I want to use this opportunity to appeal to the Minister of Finance to as a matter of urgency release money to the West African Examination Council for a smooth conduct of this year’s examination.” He said while addressing parliament on the issue.
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In a related development, WAEC has scheduled August and September 2022 for the WASSCE for school candidates and October 2022 for both Private and School candidates who will be writing the BECE.