BECE in limbo: Gov’t has failed to prioritize education – Dr. Apaak

Deputy Ranking Member on the Education Committee of Parliament, Dr. Clement Apaak has stated that the West West African Examinations Council’s (WAEC) difficulty in organizing the 2024 Basic Education Certificate Examination BECE speaks volumes about the government’s lackadaisical attitude toward education.

Earlier, the Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition (GNECC) called on the government to release funds to the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) for the Basic  Education Certificate Examination (BECE) scheduled for July 8, 2024.

According to the GNECC, they are deeply troubled by recent announcements from WAEC regarding the impending BECE.

“Records from WAEC indicate that the government owes the council an amount of GH₵698,500 being the outstanding balance needed for the 2023 BECE exams. For the 2024 examination, only 2.28 million Ghana cedis have so far been disbursed out of the ₵95,837,306 needed to facilitate the examination.

“The BECE is not only vital for assessing students’ academic progress but also for determining their placement in senior high schools. Any disruption to this examination could have far-reaching consequences for the  educational and future career prospects of these young learners,” Bernice Mpere-Gyekye, National Coordinator for GNECC disclosed.

Meanwhile, WAEC is expecting that an amount of GH¢47.125 million out of the arrears of GH¢95.83 million paid on Friday, June 21, 2024, would be available in cash for the exams.

“It will certainly hold if this warrant translates into money, so what we can ask right now is for them to expedite action through the Government Integrated Financial Management System (GIFMIS) process so that it translates into cash for us to be able to go ahead and conduct the examination,” he said on Starr FM midday news.

Commenting on the development, the Builsa South lawmaker stated that expressed disgust on the government’s posture towards education and called on the government to as matter of urgency do the needful.

“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 organize the exams without any hindrances/

“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 prioritize 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,” Dr. Apaak stated.

Source: Today.com.gh