Dr. Clement Apaak, the Deputy Ranking Member on Parliament’s Education Committee, has revealed that the government has issued a cheque for GH¢25 million to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) in response to its mounting debt. However, this payment comes in the context of a much larger debt owed by the government, totaling GH¢118 million, which has raised concerns over the timely release of the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results.
Dr. Apaak made the disclosure during an appearance on Eyewitness News, where he acknowledged that while the GH¢25 million payment was a positive development, it still represents a small fraction of the outstanding amount owed to WAEC. According to him, the GH¢25 million is far from sufficient to resolve the full extent of WAEC’s financial challenges.
“The information we are receiving is that the government has issued a cheque for GH¢25 million to WAEC, but we are talking about an amount of GH¢118 million, and so when you give only GH¢25 million, clearly this is not even half of the debt. It is a drop in the ocean,” Dr. Apaak remarked.
The debt owed to WAEC is a significant issue, as the examination body has warned that delays in settling the full amount could disrupt the operations necessary for the timely release of WASSCE results. Specifically, John Kapi, the Head of Public Affairs at WAEC, noted that the GH¢25 million payment is needed to pay technicians for the repair of faulty scanners used to mark objective questions. These repairs are crucial for the smooth processing of exam papers, especially given the scale of WASSCE.
The release of the WASSCE results is a highly anticipated event for thousands of students across West Africa, and any delays could have widespread consequences. WAEC’s warning highlights the importance of resolving the debt issue swiftly to ensure that the examination results are processed without unnecessary interruptions.
While the GH¢25 million payment is a step in the right direction, Dr. Apaak’s comments emphasize that a more substantial and immediate solution is needed to address WAEC’s financial strain and ensure that the examination body can continue to carry out its responsibilities effectively.
