WAEC Suffocates Over No Cash

The high expectations of Ghanaians from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to conduct a smooth and credible examination this year, devoid of any last-minute setback, appears to be in limbo.

This is because contrary to the spirited denial by the Education Ministry that government does not owe WAEC, it is emerging that the national examination body is, in fact, struggling to conduct successful exams, due to inadequate funds available to the Council.

The deep-throat sources told The Anchor that persons who supervised and invigilated the 2021 BECE as well as script checkers last year are yet to be paid their allowances.

The non-payment of funds is directly affecting the conduct of this year’s examination by WAEC.

This paper has gathered that, the Council badly needs some GH₵96, 694, 432.40 to start preparation,which include transport, allowances for invigilators, depot-keepers, examiners, supervisors among others.

However, sources within discloses that, no money has been released to WAEC for the conduct of the 2022 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE)and Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE),as at Friday, July 22, 2022.

The situation is said to have put the examination body in a very difficult position, but unable to speak publicly on it for unknown reasons.

It is, however, unclear, if the monies would hit WAEC accounts today, Monday, for the preparation towards the BECE which is barely a week away, to kickstart on August 1, 2022 schedule.

Meanwhile, information available toThe Anchoralso reveals, the Finance Ministry has still not finished paying WAEC, for the conduct of last year’s BECE and WASSCE.

As a result, the government owes the examination body, over GH₵23million, being the cost of the conduct of the 2021 exams.

The breakdown, as sighted by The Anchor shows that government owes a balance of GH₵15, 790. 072. 00, in respect of the WASSCE and, GH₵7, 221, 755. 00, in respect of the BECE.

This makes a total outstanding debit of Twenty-Three Million, Eleven Thousand, and Eight Hundred and Twenty-Seven Ghana Cedis(GH₵23, 011, 827.00) for the two examinations for the year 2021.

Interestingly, Vice Chairman of the Education Committee of Parliament, Dr Prince Hamid Armah confirmed that indeed the government was in debt of the said amount to WAEC however, government was working hard towards settling this debt to see through that the 2022 exams is successful.

“It is important to note that last year 2021, WAEC presented a budget total of Gh¢128,000,000 towards the conduct of both the BECE and WASSCE. Out of this huge figure, government had paid Gh¢105,000,000, I mean that’s an absolutely huge amount out of the total budget they submitted.

“So yes, there’s is an outstanding of Gh¢23,000,000 for 2021. WAEC also presented a budget for 2022 WASSCE and they expect that some disbursement will be made but he has to understand that government cash-roll in terms of revenue generation is accrued on daily basis so we need to get the money and be able to distribute to the various sectors of the country. So, they submitted and they expect that those monies will be made available so that the 1st August examination can occur,” he stressed.

“WAEC initially had requested for 6million but government was committed to the proper distribution of education. He went ahead to assure the public that the controller accountant general had been instructed to make available 50 million Ghana Cedi”.

“So, I will assure the public that government is very committed to ensuring that the 2022 examination is conducted and is conducted successfully”.

Obviously, the latest information is in sharp contrast to a recent rebuttal by a Deputy Minister for Education, Rev. John NtimFordjour, that government does not owe WAEC.

The Deputy Minister, last week, dismissed claims that the Basic Education Certificate Examination and West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination may not come off as scheduled.

According to Rev Fordjour, the assertion was mere propaganda and falsehood.

“Every examination that the Ministry of Education has scheduled to be conducted this year, will happen as scheduled.

“BECE, WASSCE will all happen as scheduled. So disregard any rumours going around that we are going to have the schedules changed, suspended, or revised,” he told JoyNews on Friday.

The inability of government to settle the said GH¢23 million, has resulted in WAEC still owing supervisors, investigators and script checkers allowances for that year’s work for the examination.

What is also emerging is that, government is yet to pay the registration fee for this year’s examination, which is barely a month away.

There are reports that in the unlikely event that last year’s money remains unpaid, the coming WASSCE, may have to be postponed.

On Thursday, the Ranking Member on the Education Committee, Dr Clement Apaak hinted that government is indebted to the West African Examination Council (WAEC).

He argued that the debt has greatly affected the operations of WAEC.

But reacting to this, the Assin South MP insisted that the outstanding issues have been cleared with the examination body.

As such, he maintained, that the exercise will come off as scheduled.

“Whatever WAEC needs, it is given to them. So disregard any such propaganda. Every obligation has been met, if there is anything that needs to be discussed further, definitely that will be had so disregard the propaganda that there is indebtedness and whatever.

“WAEC has been our trusted partner and we’ve always had very cordial relations. So every attempt to want to mar that relationship by propagandists must be discredited and disregarded,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the Minority members on the Education Committee in Parliament, had planned to make a submission on the matter on the floor of the august House last week.

However, the group retreated on it plans for unexplained reason.

Source: Anchorghana