WAEC Requests Release of Funds to Complete WASSCE Marking Process

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has urgently appealed to the Ministry of Education to release outstanding funds in order to complete the post-examination procedures for the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates. The council expressed concern that the delay in receiving the necessary funds is impeding the final stages of the marking process, which is crucial for the timely release of results.

According to a press release issued by WAEC on December 9, 2024, the council confirmed that while the marking of essays and practical components of the WASSCE paper has been completed successfully, the scanning of objective answer sheets, which was scheduled to take place from November 1 to November 30, faced significant delays. The cause of this delay was identified as a malfunction in the scanners that were to be used for the scanning process.

In its statement, WAEC disclosed that it is awaiting a debt payment of GHC 118,000,000.00 from the Ministry of Education, a sum that is essential for the repair of the faulty scanners. This funding is also required to continue with the scanning process, as well as other post-examination activities. The Council emphasized that the delay in the payment of these funds is holding up the finalization of the marking process, which, in turn, is delaying the release of results. This issue has caused concern among students, parents, and other stakeholders who are eagerly awaiting the outcome of the examination.

WAEC further appealed to examination officials and suppliers involved in the marking process to remain patient and assured them that payments for their services will be made promptly once the required funds are received. The council recognized the inconvenience caused by the delay and assured all involved parties that efforts were being made to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

The examination body also took the opportunity to address the public, issuing a stern warning about false information circulating on social media. WAEC urged the public to disregard unofficial posts that claim to know the exact dates for the release of the WASSCE results. These unofficial claims have contributed to confusion and anxiety among students and their families. The council reminded the public that the official release of results will only occur after the post-examination processes have been fully completed.

In the statement, signed by WAEC’s Head of Public Affairs, John K. Kapi, the Council reassured the public that it is working diligently to resolve the technical challenges that have caused the delays. WAEC emphasized that the release of results is a priority and that they are committed to ensuring that the results are made available as soon as the issues are resolved.

WAEC’s call for the release of the outstanding funds comes at a time when the council is facing mounting pressure to complete the post-examination activities and release results for thousands of candidates who participated in the 2024 WASSCE. The delay has caused frustration among many students who are waiting for their results to proceed with further academic or career plans.

The council’s efforts to address the situation include resolving the technical problems with the scanners, ensuring that the scanning process proceeds smoothly, and completing the marking of the objective answer sheets. WAEC reiterated that it is working closely with the Ministry of Education to secure the necessary funding and get the process back on track.

WAEC is calling for urgent intervention from the Ministry of Education to release the required funds and allow the final stages of the post-examination process to be completed without further delays. The examination body has expressed its commitment to transparency and efficiency, ensuring that results will be made available to candidates as soon as possible, despite the setbacks faced.