The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has announced that it will investigate irregularities in the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results. The move follows allegations by the Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS) that some candidates received grades for subjects they did not register for, while others obtained results that do not reflect their academic performance.
WAEC to Probe BECE Result Irregularities
The Council's Head of Public Affairs, John Kapi, has urged schools and parents to provide evidence to support their claims. Speaking on Joy FM's Super Morning Show, Mr. Kapi stated that WAEC was prepared to investigate any genuine concerns but could not act on unverified claims. He emphasized that the Council requires documentary evidence before determining whether any error had occurred.
Some of the concerns raised by the GNAPS include instances where candidates were awarded grades in subjects they never registered for. Mr. Kapi acknowledged that WAEC does not claim to be infallible, noting that the Council publishes examination results as provisional to allow room for the investigation and correction of genuine errors where necessary.
Investigation Process to Be Based on Documentary Evidence
Mr. Kapi explained that the Council's ongoing investigations into examination malpractice are separate from the concerns being raised by the Association of Private Schools. He also clarified that the Council is preparing a detailed public statement explaining the examination and results-processing procedures. The statement is expected to provide a clear explanation of the steps involved in processing examination results.
Schools and Candidates Encouraged to Use Established Review Procedures
GNAPS has called on WAEC to conduct an urgent audit of the results, arguing that any administrative or technical errors should be corrected to ensure candidates receive the grades they earned. Mr. Kapi encouraged affected schools and candidates to use WAEC's established review procedures to enable the Council to investigate and, where necessary, rectify verified discrepancies.
The review procedures involve providing documentary evidence to support claims of irregularities in the examination results. Mr. Kapi noted that out of 620,000 candidates, it would be impractical for the Council to proactively contact every school following complaints circulating on social media and other platforms.
What's Next for the BECE Results Investigation
The investigation into the BECE result irregularities is ongoing, with WAEC urging schools and parents to provide evidence to support their claims. The Council's commitment to investigating genuine concerns has been welcomed by the GNAPS, which is urging the Council to conduct an urgent audit of the results. As the investigation unfolds, it remains to be seen whether the concerns raised by the GNAPS will be addressed, and what measures will be taken to ensure that candidates receive the grades they earned.
Source: Joy Online
