The Minority in Ghana’s Parliament is demanding that the Finance and Education Ministers be summoned to explain the government’s failure to address the over 100 million Ghana Cedi debt owed to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
The debt, according to the Minority, has caused significant disruptions in WAEC’s operations, including delays in the release of the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results.
During a session on the floor of Parliament, the Ranking Member of the Education Committee, Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, expressed grave concerns over the implications of the debt. He revealed that delays in the regular maintenance of WAEC’s equipment, as well as delayed payments to examiners, had severely affected the examination body’s ability to function efficiently.
In particular, Nortsu-Kotoe highlighted that the target release date for the 2024 WASSCE results—19 December—would have to be pushed back due to examiners threatening to withhold their scripts unless they were paid. This delay threatens to disrupt students’ plans for tertiary education in January 2025.
“Information available is that the target date of 19 December for the release of the 2024 results will have to be delayed because examiners are threatening to hold on to their scripts if payments are not made to them,” Nortsu-Kotoe stated.
He called for immediate action, urging Speaker of Parliament to invite the Ministers for Education and Finance to explain why the government has failed to provide the necessary funds to ensure timely release of the examination results, thereby preventing any hindrance to students’ academic progression.
The situation has drawn attention to the growing financial pressures facing WAEC and raised concerns about the potential impact on Ghana’s education system if the government fails to resolve the issue swiftly.