WAEC’s inability to organise this year’s BECE is due to govt failure to prioritise education – Clement Apaak

Dr. Clement Apaak, a Deputy Ranking Member on the Education Committee of Parliament, has asked the government to grant GH¢80 million to the West West African Examinations Council (WAEC) so they will efficiently organise the 2024 Basic Education Certificate Examination.

Dr. Apaak, who is the Builsa South MP, says WAEC should not he complaining of a lack of sufficient resources for organising the examination when Parliament has already approved the budget for it.

Dr. Apaak said it was most unfortunate that the government has failed to prioritise important matters such as funding WAEC to conduct the exams for our wards in our basic schools.

“We want to call on the government to do the needful by ensuring that the requisite amount to WAEC is fully paid so they can organise the exams without any hindrances.”.

He lamented that the minority had consistently predicted this issue, and unfortunately, it has happened.

“It is worrying and disappointing because there is no reason why this ought to be happening. We have said and will say again that if this Akufo-Addo, Bawumia-led government does not prioritise the sectors and the issues that bother Ghanaians, to think that this is the same government that gives out sole sourcing contracts.

"This is the same government that can expend public resources on non-existing Inland Port in Keta and yet cannot find money to pay WAEC so they can properly prepare, administer, grade, and issue the results of our wards, it is most disappointing. It is not a lack of resources; it is a lack of priority for education, and the government ought to be called out. This ought not to be happening,” the MP said.

He was reacting to a response from WAEC that it has only received GH¢47.125 million from the government, contrary to the GH¢80 million announced in Parliament on Friday by the Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh.

The GH¢47.125 million out of the arrears of the GH¢95.83 million was paid on Friday, June 21, 2024.

The Majority Chief Whip, who is also the Member of Parliament for Nsawam Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, told Parliament on Friday that the Ministry of Finance had released an amount of GH¢80 million to the council on Friday, June 21, 2024.

But the Head of Public Relations at WAEC, John Kapi, said it was rather GH¢47.125 million that was received on Friday.

He added that the amount in question is a warrant that has been processed through the Government Integrated Financial Management System (GIFMIS) and that it has yet to be translated into real cash.