WAEC gives update on 2023/2024 BECE candidates scripts marking

The management of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has slated Monday, October 9, 2023, to commence marking of 2023 BECE candidates scripts, a spokesperson for the non-profit making organisation has disclosed.

In a discussion with Daily Graphic, the Examinations Council official said has initiated the coordination process which involved bringing the examiners together to familiarise themselves with the marking scheme of the 2023 BECE.

Citing financial issues as a challenge confronting the marking process which formed part of the second process of the examination, he said “They will finish the coordination on Friday and by October 9, the actual marking will start.”

“So we have started the process, but what we are saying is that if monies are not released, we may not be able to complete it,” the Head of Public Affairs, John Kapi told the Daily Graphic newspaper in an exclusive interview.

A total of 600,714 candidates, comprising 300,323 boys and 300,391 girls from 18,993 Junior High Schools participated in the 2023 BECE for School Candidates which began on Monday, August 7, 2023, to Friday, August 11, 2023.

With regard to the 2023 BECE for Private Candidates, a total entry figure of 1,743 candidates was recorded. This is made up of 889 males and 854 females. This year’s figure is 5.4% higher than the entry figure of 1,132 for 2022.

The 2023 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) for School Candidates was held at 2,137 examination centres across the country, while 15 centres mainly in the regional capitals were used for the BECE for Private candidates.

In a related development, the Ghana Education Service says it will cancel the 2023 BECE results of unqualified but registered candidates who will participate in the forthcoming national examination for final-year Junior High School (JHS) students only.

In a statement copied to AcademicWeek, the management of the Education Service cautioned public school heads to desist from registering private school students or individuals not qualified to write the BECE for School examination.

“Registration of candidates for the BECE for school candidates is strictly for students in Junior High School (JHS) Three only. The second-year Junior High School students are ineligible to register and write the BECE School,” the GES stated.

It added “It has come to the attention of GES that some public basic school heads are registering unqualified students for 2023 BECE which is illegal. Anyone found to have registered illegally will have his/her BECE results nullified.”