Accra: The Campaign Against Privatisation and Commercialisation of Education (CAPCOE) has rejected claims that candidates from private schools were deliberately marked down in the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
According to Ghana News Agency, the organisation described the allegations as misleading and cautioned that such claims could undermine public confidence in the nation's examination system. In a statement signed by its Convener, Mr. Richard Kwashie Kovey, CAPCOE clarified that it did not represent the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and acknowledged concerns raised by private school associations. However, it disagreed with what it termed as unhealthy comparisons between public and private schools regarding candidates' performance.
CAPCOE highlighted that the BECE marking process involves multiple layers of quality assurance to minimise errors and prevent score manipulation. The process includes vetting by team leaders and reviews by chief examiners, with corrections made before final scores are entered into WAEC's system. It was noted that objective-test papers are marked electronically, with scores automatically captured against candidates' index numbers.
The organisation pointed out that candidates' schools are identified through unique codes on examination scripts, making it difficult for examiners to know if a candidate attended a public or private school. All BECE candidates are assessed and ranked under the same national grading system, irrespective of school type.
CAPCOE acknowledged that technical issues could occasionally affect results, but mentioned that WAEC initially releases provisional results while investigating examination malpractice and irregularities. Addressing concerns over some private school candidates' performance, CAPCOE attributed part of the challenge to an overreliance on past questions and mock exams, emphasizing the curriculum's focus on critical thinking and problem-solving over rote learning.
The organisation urged parents to not solely rely on internal exams and mock results to gauge BECE performance, as these assessments differ from national examination conditions. CAPCOE called on the Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS) and the Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS) to use formal procedures, such as requests for remarks and official reviews, for concerns about candidates' results.
Concerns should be addressed through appropriate channels rather than allegations that could erode trust in the examination system. CAPCOE emphasized that discussions about the 2026 BECE should aim to improve teaching and learning outcomes across both public and private sectors, rather than creating divisions.