The Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS) has urged the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to promptly conduct an audit of the provisional 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results, citing what it refers to as widespread grading inconsistencies that may adversely impact candidates’ placements into senior high schools.
In a statement released on Wednesday, August 5, the association reported receiving numerous complaints from member schools across all 16 regions regarding discrepancies in the results published by WAEC. GNAPS indicated that these reported irregularities raise significant concerns about the accuracy of the collation process and the reliability of the grades assigned to certain candidates.
One of the cases brought to attention by the association involves a candidate who registered for and took the Ghanaian Language paper in Twi but did not register for or sit the Ewe examination. Nevertheless, the candidate’s provisional results allegedly included a Grade 3 in Ewe, in addition to a Grade 7 in Twi.
GNAPS asserted that this instance is not an isolated one, claiming that multiple schools have reported candidates receiving grades in subjects they did not take, results that do not correspond with students’ academic records, and what it termed as unexplained failures.
The association also voiced concerns regarding what it described as an unusually high failure rate among candidates from private schools. It contended that the results significantly diverge from the affected students’ performances in continuous assessments, terminal examinations, and mock examinations, indicating the necessity for a comprehensive review of the published results.
“GNAPS firmly asserts its support for the integrity of the examination system and endorses all legitimate actions WAEC undertakes against genuine examination malpractice. Our concern in this instance is of a different nature.
“We are highlighting issues related to errors in collation and attribution, as well as administrative and technical shortcomings in the results processing. If these issues are not rectified, hardworking and deserving students will be deprived of the results they rightfully earned,” stated the association.
The association emphasized that if the identified discrepancies are not resolved swiftly, numerous candidates may be unjustly denied the grades they have legitimately achieved, which could have significant repercussions for their educational advancement.
Consequently, GNAPS is calling on WAEC to undertake an immediate audit and reconciliation of all impacted results, ensuring that each candidate receives grades that accurately represent the examinations they completed, and affirming that results should be determined solely based on merit, without any bias related to whether a candidate attended a public or private institution.
“These discrepancies have emerged at a crucial time. Currently, our candidates are meticulously navigating their school selection process, and despite their dissatisfaction, they are approaching it with patience and diligence,” the statement further noted.
GNAPS also mentioned that it is compiling complaints from member schools across the country and cautioned that it would contemplate further collective action if WAEC does not investigate and correct the reported irregularities.
The association reiterated its dedication to protecting the interests of learners in private schools, asserting that it will persist in pursuing this issue until all affected candidates receive results that accurately reflect their performance.
On Wednesday, July 29, WAEC announced the provisional results of the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), revealing that it had annulled the subject results of 601 candidates due to involvement in examination malpractice.
Additionally, the Council withheld the complete results of 167 candidates and the subject results of 2,722 others while investigations into suspected examination irregularities are ongoing.
