The Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS) has asked the Ministry of Education to establish an independent committee to review the marking of the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), saying candidates from private schools were unfairly assessed.
GNACOPS says it has collected what it describes as “credible evidence” that the grades awarded to many private-school pupils do not accurately reflect their academic performance or continuous assessment records.
Speaking to Ghana Television (GTV) on Tuesday, 4 August, the council’s Executive Director, Obenfo Nana Kwasi Gyetuah, said more than 14,000 private schools had raised concerns after GNACOPS sought feedback nationwide.
He said the council would submit a petition to the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, together with affected pupils and their parents.
“We are the people that submitted the continuous assessment, I mean, records to the ministry through Ghana Education Service on these learners and so, when we come out to say that the exams report or results that have been issued by WAEC is not a clear reflection of the academic performance of these learners, we know exactly what we are saying.”
“And so, we have evidence here, I mean, data to prove to the point that, yes indeed, the results of the grades that have been issued to the learners, for the performance of it, does not commensurate or does not reflect their academic performance over the years.”
Calls for scripts to be released
GNACOPS wants the ministry to set up a review panel that would examine the work carried out by the West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC) and determine whether the published results properly represent the candidates’ performance.
Mr Gyetuah also called on WAEC to make candidates’ examination scripts available for independent scrutiny. He said greater transparency and accountability would be necessary to rebuild confidence in the examination process.
“As I’m talking to you now, I can confirm that since last Saturday, when we made the clearing call to our members, over 14,000 schools have shown concern in this issue, who are private schools. And so, a petition has been sent down.”
“Our main argument, or the relief that we are seeking for, is that in order not to disrupt the academic career of these learners, the ministry should set up an independent review committee to review the work that the WAEC has done. Over the years, WAEC has been a master and a servant to itself. And it is now time we ask accountability from them, of the work that they have done, he stated.
Mr Gyetuah said GNACOPS had also been invited to appear before Parliament’s Education Committee, where it would present the evidence it had gathered.
The council has instructed its member schools to provide counselling support for pupils affected by the disputed results while efforts continue to resolve the matter.
Education minister responds
Mr Iddrisu urged GNACOPS to submit credible evidence of any irregularities that may have affected the integrity of the assessment process.
Speaking on Ghana Television’s current affairs programme, Breakfast Show, on Tuesday, he said responsibility for conducting the examinations rested with WAEC rather than the ministry.
“I am not responsible for the conduct of exams. The West Africa Examinations Council is,” Mr Iddrisu said.
“I understand that the private schools are very unhappy. Justifiably, what they should do is to reach out to me with legitimate evidence of any underhandedness that undermined the integrity of the examinations.”
The minister said that, unless evidence of malpractice was presented, the results should be regarded as the outcome of an examination properly conducted by WAEC.
