The amount is to support WAEC’s operations and ensure the smooth continuation of the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) marking process.

This financial injection is aimed at addressing the challenges WAEC has been facing and expediting the release of the results.

The Head of Public Affairs at WAEC, John Kapi confirmed the release to Adom News.

The latest disbursement follows the initial release of GH₵50 million to offset part of the GH¢118 million owed to the Council.

Mr Kapi is optimistic the current funds will help in getting the results by the end of December 2024 although WAEC had earlier told candidates to expect it next year.

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The fate of over 460,611 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) School Candidates (SC) hangs in the balance as the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) struggles to complete the process to release their results.

For instance, the examination body has not been able to complete the marking of scripts because it requires enormous funding to procure a new scanner or repair the old ones to scan the objective cards for this year’s WASSCE.

“WAEC is awaiting the release of additional funds out of an outstanding balance of GH¢118 million from the Ministry of Education for the repair of the scanners to carry out the scanning process of the objective cards for this year’s West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for School Candidates (SC),” the Head of Public Affairs of WAEC, John Kapi, told the  Daily Graphic.

“Currently, we actually have a number of scanners but due to lack of funds, we have not been able to service them as they break down.  That’s what has led to the current situation,” he explained.

In an Update on Post Examination Activities, WAEC urged members of the public to ignore information circulating on social media purporting to be dates for the release of results.

“The results will be released as soon as the challenges being experienced with the post-examination activities are resolved,” the update signed by him said.

WAEC, on August 5, 2024, commenced the administration of the 2024 WASSCE-SC and successfully ended on Friday, September 20, 2024.

The marking of the essays and other practical components of the papers which commenced on Friday, November 7 ended on Friday, November 29, 2024.

“Scanning of the objective cards which was scheduled for November 1 to November 30, 2024 is yet to be completed due to the breakdown of scanners used for the process,” the update said.

A total of 460,611 candidates participated in the 2024 WASSCE-SC.

Ghanaian candidates sat the Ghana Only WASSCE-SC for the third successive time because the other four-member countries of WAEC — Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone and The Gambia — have returned to the May/June calendar for WASSCE school candidates.

The ‘new normal’ calendar for Ghana was occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

This year’s cohort of candidates comprised 247,657 female candidates and 212,954 male candidates from 1,003 schools that registered candidates for the examination.

The examination started on Monday, August 5, this year with the administration of Visual Arts Project Work which ended on Friday, September 20, 2024.

Infractions

In an earlier statement, WAEC said it had identified several infractions in the 2024 examination.

It involved supervisors, invigilators and candidates.

The infractions included the photocopying and distribution of answers to candidates, the smuggling of mobile phones into the examination halls by both candidates and teachers and the concealment of foreign materials by candidates during the exam.

“The council will take appropriate action to ensure that all examination officials and stakeholders who were found culpable are sanctioned in accordance with the appropriate provisions of the rules and regulations governing the conduct of the examination,” a statement from the council said.

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The Head of Public Affairs, John K Kapi announced this at a press conference in Accra on Friday.

Mr Kapi said arrangements were underway for the government to release outstanding funds to WAEC.

He also announced a total of 569,095 candidates would sit for this year’s exams which starts on Monday, July 8, 2024.

Mr Kapi said candidates are expected to write English Language on July 8, and finish the examination with Arabic by Monday, July 15, 2024.

“282,648 were males and 286,447 were females, with 19,506 schools participating in the examinations. This figure represents a decrease of 5.29 per cent compared to the 2023 entry figure of 600,900,” he said.

Mr. Kapi stated that the examination would be administered in 2,123 locations around the nation, with 2,123 supervisors, 1,889 assistant supervisors, and 19,973 invigilators on duty to ensure sure the examination runs smoothly.

Candidates would also be examined based on the newly introduced Common Core Curriculum, while private candidates would be examined on the old syllabus.

“As part of arrangements for the smooth conduct of the examination, the Guidelines, Scheme and Structure of the examination with same questions were developed and circulated to all heads of school. Interested stakeholders can also visit our website to have access to them,” he said.

For private candidates, WAEC he sad registered 1,366 candidates, out of which 735 were males and 631 were females.

“This year’s figure is less by 25.7 percent compared with the 2023 entry figure of 1,839. Fifteen centres mainly in the regional capitals will be used for the BECE for private candidates.”

Mr Kapi said the Council had organised sensitisation programmes to educate candidates on the rules and regulations governing the examination.

Distribution of examination stationery such as objective answer cards, answer booklets, pencils, among others, to District Education Offices he noted has been done throughout the country.

WAEC had also made provisions for candidates with social educational needs, and it was making sure that no candidate was left out.

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