The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has dismissed allegations that it uses a separate marking scheme for private school candidates in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) compared to students from public schools across Ghana.
The response follows concerns raised by the Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS), which questioned the 2026 BECE results after reporting what it described as a gap between students’ examination performance and their final grades, particularly in core subjects.
Speaking on TV3’s Daily Brief on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, GNAPS Executive Director, Obenfo Nana Kwesi Gyetuah, argued that the lower pass rates recorded by many private schools this year do not reflect the sector’s long-standing academic achievements.
However, speaking on TV3’s Ghana Tonight, WAEC’s Head of Public Affairs, John Kapi, firmly denied the allegations, emphasizing that all BECE candidates in Ghana are assessed under the same standardized marking scheme, regardless of whether they attend a private or public school.
According to Mr. Kapi, examiners follow a single approved marking guide during coordination meetings to ensure consistency, fairness, and equal treatment for every candidate.
“There is no truth in any such allegation because the candidates are considered one cohort from private to public schools, and when the examiners meet for the coordination meetings, it is all about one marking scheme for everybody,” Mr. Kapi stated on August 4, 2026.
He further explained that WAEC has strict measures in place to protect the integrity of the BECE marking process. Examination scripts are packaged in envelopes that do not identify whether they belong to candidates from private or public schools, preventing examiners from knowing the source of the scripts during marking.
Mr. Kapi reassured parents, students, and school authorities that WAEC remains committed to transparency, fairness, and credibility in the conduct and assessment of the BECE examinations.
He also encouraged individuals with concerns about the 2026 BECE results to use the official review and appeal procedures. According to him, candidates may seek clarification directly from WAEC, the Ghana Education Service (GES), or the Ministry of Education if they believe there are irregularities affecting their results.
“If anybody wishes to go to the GES or the Education Ministry, it is their right to do so, or even if they come to us, we are ready to listen to them, engage with them and explain exactly what happened regarding their candidates,” he said.
WAEC reiterated that all candidates are given equal treatment throughout the examination and marking process, dismissing claims that private school students are disadvantaged during the assessment of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in Ghana.
Source: newsthemegh.com