BECE 2024 may be cancelled due to financial constraints – WAEC

West Africa Examination Council AKA WAEC says the soon-to-write Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) 2024 may be cancelled due to severe financial constraints and funding challenges.

The West Africa Examination council has expressed grave concerns about the government’s failure to release critical funds needed for the preparation and administration of the exams.

As the July 8, 2024 exam date approaches, time is running out for the purchase of necessary logistics.

The 2024 BECE is expected to take off July 8, 2024.

As the date approaches, the government has failed to provide funding so WAEC purchases necessary logistics needed to run the BECE successfully.

The Director of Public Affairs at WAEC has highlighted the urgency of the situation, stressing the need for immediate financial support to avoid disruption of the BECE.

In a discourse with Joy FM during their Midday News, the Director of Public Affairs at WAEC, John Kapi, said, “For BECE, we still have an outstanding payment of ₵698,500, and then for the 2024 examination, we expect a total amount of ₵95,837,306 from the government.”

He disclosed that so far, the council has received ₵2,284,618, leaving an outstanding balance of ₵93,552,688 needed for the BECE.

He explained that the $2 million received from government is not enough to facilitate the execution of the BECE examination.

The Minority caucus’ Education Committee in Parliament earlier this week raised the issue, calling for the government to make urgent payments needed to avoid embarrassment.

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Ranking Member on the Education Committee, Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, disclosed that he suggested to the Committee Chairman that they convene a meeting with the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Education, and a national officer from WAEC.

The goal of this meeting would be to create a roadmap for the release of funds.

He emphasized that this would enable WAEC to conduct the BECE and ensure they have the necessary financial resources to fulfill their responsibilities.

“The BECE is coming on next month, and they need to prepare financially with resources to carry out their mandate. So, they need money.”

He added that the upcoming WASSCE examination scheduled to happen in August also needs funding, hence the urgency of meeting with the various authorities to determine how money can be released to WAEC.

However, the Vice Chairman of the committee, Dr Prince Hamidu Armah, has downplayed the seriousness of the government’s indebtedness, arguing that such situations have been the status quo for the past decade.

He detailed that in 2023, the government paid over ₵80 million towards the BECE, and in 2024, it has already paid ₵2.5 million plus an additional ₵6 million.

“Just to make the point that the government has demonstrated commitment towards making payments and ensuring that the examinations are conducted,”

Both the education and health sectors have been affected by persistent inflation in the country, which stood at 23.1% as of May 2024, down from 25% in April 2024.

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