The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has rejected allegations by the Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS) that more than 200,000 candidates were under-marked in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
WAEC had described the claims as unsubstantiated and said they only serve to undermine the integrity of the examination body.
Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS) had called for an independent probe into WAEC’s marking processes; an allegation which the Head of Public Relations at WAEC, John Kapi, told the media lacked evidence.
Kapi stated that the Council would only entertain a probe conducted by another recognised examining body with expertise in assessment, not by the association of private schools.
He emphasised that WAEC follows strict standard operating procedures and that candidates’ scripts remain confidential.
“We have standard operating procedures that we follow, and for anyone to come here, you should also be an expert in assessment, otherwise I cannot tell exactly what you want to see, especially that the scripts of the candidates are confidential, even to us who are working in the Council,” Kapi said.
He added that if the association provided specific details about the scope of any proposed review, WAEC would make appropriate arrangements.
“If they are specific about what they want, what they are looking for, then we can make provision for them to come in and assess the things that they want to assess and then please themselves that indeed we are doing what we are supposed to do. But for now, once we cannot tell the scope of whatever probe they want to make or do, we would wait until they tell us what they want to see, and then we’ll know how to address that concern.”
Kapi noted that the Council remains open to dialogue.
“We are going to speak with them. We are going to welcome them and then have a discussion with them. But for as long as they’ve not come here, we have done our job,” he added.
WAEC maintained that its processes are robust and that the claims, without supporting evidence, only weaken public confidence in the examination system.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
