WAEC dismisses claims of separate marking scheme for private school BECE candidates

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has dismissed claims by the Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS) that different marking schemes were being used for BECE candidates of private schools nationwide compared to their counterparts in public schools.

GNAS said it had flagged a mismatch between how well students performed during the examinations and the results they were eventually awarded, especially in core subjects.

Executive Director of the Association, Obenfo Nana Kwesi Gyetuah on TV3's Daily Brief on Tuesday, August 4, 2026 questioned the comparatively low pass rate recorded by many private schools this year, arguing that it does not reflect the sector's longstanding academic performance. 

Responding to these allegations, the Head of Public Affairs at WAEC, John Kapi vehemently opposed the assertion, insisting that claims of unfair treatment against private schools are untrue.

He stressed that all candidates who sit for the examination are treated as one cohort and marked using a single approved scheme.

According to him, during examiners’ coordination meetings, the focus is on ensuring a uniform marking approach for all candidates, regardless of the type of school they attended.

“There is no truth in any such allegation because the candidates are considered one cohort from private to public schools and when the examiners meet for the coordination meetings, it is all about one marking scheme for everybody,” Mr. Kapi explained on August 4, 2026.

He added that WAEC takes steps to prevent examiners from identifying whether scripts are from private or public schools by ensuring that envelopes carrying examination answers are not labelled in a way that reveals the candidates’ schools.

Mr. Kapi further assured the public that all candidates are treated fairly and encouraged anyone with concerns about examination outcomes to use the appropriate channels for redress.

He noted that candidates have the right to appeal and can seek clarification from WAEC, the Ghana Education Service (GES), or the Ministry of Education if they believe there have been irregularities.

“If anybody wishes to go to the GES or the Education Ministry, it is their right to do so, or even if they come to us, we are ready to listen to them, engage with them and tell them exactly what has happened to their candidates.”