Accra: The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has firmly stated that it employs the same marking schemes and grading systems for candidates from both public and private schools taking the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). This announcement comes amidst concerns raised by the Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS) regarding the recently released 2026 BECE results.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. John K. Kapi, Head of Public Affairs at WAEC National Office, addressed the issue during a press briefing in Accra. He emphasized that the Council assesses all candidates under uniform procedures, with grades determined by individual performance and established grading standards.
Mr. Kapi clarified that WAEC does not operate separate marking schemes or grading systems for different types of schools, a misconception that the Council has repeatedly addressed. He stated that all candidates are given equal opportunities to showcase their abilities and that every script is treated impartially during the assessment process.
The concerns raised by GNACOPS alleged that private schools were intentionally awarded poor grades. Mr. Kapi dismissed these allegations as false and misleading, urging the public to disregard such claims. He highlighted that such allegations could undermine public confidence in the examination system, which is based on fairness, objectivity, consistency, and integrity.
Furthermore, Mr. Kapi detailed the strict quality assurance procedures maintained by WAEC throughout the marking process. These include ensuring the anonymity of examiners and candidates by swapping scripts across regions and using coding and random allocation of scripts to examiners. He reiterated that grades are solely determined by candidates' performance in relation to established grading standards, regardless of the type of school attended.
Mr. Kapi also mentioned that the Council has employed the Stanine, also known as the Standard Nine Grading System, for the past decade upon recommendation by the Ministry of Education. This system is a statistical method for reporting candidates' performance relative to the overall performance in each subject.
In response to GNACOPS's petition to the Ministry of Education concerning the 2026 BECE results, Mr. Kapi assured that WAEC is prepared to address any concerns raised. He encouraged stakeholders to use established channels for clarification rather than relying on speculation or misinformation.
Mr. Ernest Agyapong, Head of Tests Division at WAEC, noted that the Council is open to candidates seeking remarking of their scripts, which comes with a fee. He explained that results could increase, remain unchanged, or decrease after remarking. Candidates have a three-month window to seek redress over examination results, and petitions should be routed through school heads and District Directors of Education to the Council.
Mr. Agyapong added that withheld results from the 2026 BECE would be released following investigations by August 15, 2026.