Private Schools Threaten To Boycott BECE & WASSCE, WAEC Says They're Being Petty

• Private schools have threatened to boycott BECE and WASSCE examinations over exorbitant registration fees
• But WAEC, reacting to the threats, says the new fees are in response to inflation and fluctuating exchange rates, among others
• WAEC argues that government officials and agencies are involved in the fee adjustment process, so their decisions are not unilateral

Private schools have threatened to boycott the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and the West African Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) over what it describes as exorbitant registration fees.

The Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS) says it had not been engaged prior to the registration fee increment and has threatened that should WAEC go ahead and increase fees next year without their input, they would boycott the exams.

Currently, students pay GH¢465 and GH¢214 for WASSCE and BECE respectively

Read also

Ghana's education quality ranked 125 out of 183 countries, 2nd highest in West Africa

GNPAS says the arbitrary increment of registration fees and several other costs of doing business hampers the development of private schools and renders them too expensive for the average Ghanaian to afford.

Speaking at the launch of the Pre-Tertiary Private Schools Manifesto, GNAPS called on the government to intervene in the matter by extending the free SHS policy to the private schools to absorb, among other things, the cost of WASSCE and BECE registrations.

It also called for a review of the Education Regulatory Bodies Act 2020 (Act 1023) to scrap the exorbitant regulatory charges by the National Schools Inspectorate Authority, National Teaching Council and National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.

GNAPS further called for the abolishment of nuisance taxes, and a review of property rates for private schools and business operations permits to ease the cost of doing business.

Read also

Former headmaster arrested for allegedly fraudulently registering students for WASSCE: "Victims were misled"

WAEC responds to threat

The West African Examination Council, responding to the threat, stated that it has no intention of reviewing its new registration fees downward.

The Council noted that their new fees are in response to the rising cost of managing the examination process, and thus, the threat to boycott the examinations is sheer pettiness.

The Council stated that rising costs of printing materials, import charges, inflation and exchange rate fluctuations all account for the final registration fees.

The Council further explained that it does not unilaterally decide the fees.

It said different government offices and associations help decide any possible increment.

GES cautions parents in public SHS not to pay WASSCE registration

YEN.com.gh reported that the Ghana Education Service cautioned parents of wards in public Senior High School students not to pay the WASSCE registration fee.

The Ghana Education Service stressed that the Free Senior High School policy covers this fee.

Read also

“Do I have to apologise?": Ashanti Regional Minister fires back at protesting ECG staff

The Director-General of the service gave the caution at a press briefing in Accra on Wednesday, April 2, 2024.

Source: YEN.com.gh