The not-for-profit organization responsible for conducting the West African Senior School Certificate Examination has appealed to the government to pay its outstanding debt to enable it to complete post-examination processes and the release of the 2024 WASSCE results.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Head of Public Affairs, John Kapi said the central government has paid GH¢75,976,815.50 out of the total GH¢186,437,617.50 owed to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
“We want to avoid the situation where examiners would keep our scripts because they’re not sure when they will be paid for their services.
We also want to ensure that we do not truncate the academic calendar of the universities,” the spokesperson for the Examinations Council told the Daily Graphic in a discussion.
Commenting on the implications of the delay in the release of funds, he said: “This situation has resulted in a plethora of challenges such as the high cost of conducting examinations due to our inability to procure materials in bulk in advance.
“Additionally, it has exposed us to exchange rate volatilities, our inability to pay examiners on time, delay in payment of refreshment allowances to invigilators and supervisors, inability to pay suppliers promptly and replace obsolete machinery,” Mr Kapi added.
He said the situation had also affected WAEC’s ability to secure the needed resources to curb the increasing examination malpractice across the country and also introduce innovations to curb new trends in examination malpractice.
He said as a non-profit making establishment, WAEC’s main source of funding for the conduct of its examinations had been through examination fees paid by examinees.
Mr Kapi explained that the fees paid by candidates were used for the printing of examination questions, payment for the marking of examination scripts, payment for invigilation and supervision during examinations, procuring and maintaining machinery, as well as the purchase of examination stationery.
The WAEC official attributed the delay in the release of funds to the absorption of candidates’ examination fees both at the basic and the senior high school level by the government under the Free Senior High School
Jon Kapi emphasised that the challenge with the new system had been the perennial delays in the release of funds for the examining body to carry out its mandate.
“Over the last few years, the WAEC has been reeling under financial stress. There is no fixed timetable for the release of funds from the government.
As and when there is money available, it is transferred to us. This has made the conduct of examinations, which hitherto was smooth, very difficult. This lack of remuneration is costing the council its credibility,” Mr Kapi added.