Government debt threatens timely release of 2024 WASSCE results, WAEC says
Accra, Ghana - Nov 5, 2024 - The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has sounded the alarm that the release of the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results may be delayed due to the government's outstanding debt to the council.
According to John Kapi, Head of Public Affairs at WAEC, the council had initially planned to release the results between December 9 and 15, but the ongoing funding shortfall could jeopardize this timeline.
The government provided initial funding for the exams, but WAEC is still awaiting additional funds for post-examination processes, despite multiple meetings and assurances. This lack of funding puts WAEC in a challenging position as it prepares for the marking exercise.
Kapi emphasized in an interview on Citi News that the government's debt to WAEC stands at approximately GH¢186 million, with only GH¢60.9 million received so far.
“Before the exam started, we indicated that the government had given us money to be able to conduct the examination, and the assurances were that once the exam was over, more releases would be made so that we would be able to go ahead with our post-examination activities.
“But as we speak, despite meetings that have been held, we still have not had any money hitting our account yet, and so our fear is that this would jeopardize the marking exercise,” he stated.
“…The amount for the WASSCE school candidates for 2024 was GH¢186,437,617.50. So, let’s say just about GH¢186 million. We received about GH¢60.9 million to commence the examination. We were looking at the second week of December, so at least between the 9th and the 15th of December, we are sure that we will be able to release the results.
“But as we speak, lack of funds could jeopardize this and could make us move the release date forward,” Kapi added.
WAEC's concerns come after the successful conduct of the 2024 WASSCE exams. The council had previously released the results for the school candidates in August. However, the current funding issue may impact the timely release of the remaining results.
Students and stakeholders are advised to stay tuned for updates on the release date. The delay could have implications for students seeking admission to tertiary institutions and those requiring their results for scholarship applications.
Source: Lead News Online
