GNAPS alleges serious discrepancies in 2026 BECE results, demands WAEC audit

The Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS) has raised alarm over what it describes as “serious discrepancies” in the provisional results of the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), urging the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to conduct an immediate audit and reconciliation of affected candidates’ grades.

In a press statement issued on Wednesday, August 5, GNAPS General Secretary Kennedy Donkor said the association has received multiple complaints from member schools across all regions, pointing to systematic errors in the results released to candidates. The association insists the issues are not isolated cases but reflect possible technical failures in the processing and attribution of examination data.

Specific Allegations

GNAPS outlined several categories of irregularities reported by its members:

· Candidates being awarded grades for subjects they never registered for or sat.
· Results that starkly contradict students’ known academic performance, including continuous assessment scores, terminal exams, and mock results.
· Unexplained failures that do not align with the candidates’ demonstrated ability.

One specific case cited involved a candidate who registered and sat for the Ghanaian Language paper in Twi but did not register for or write any Ewe paper. Yet, the candidate’s provisional result included a grade in Ewe. GNAPS noted that similar reports have emerged from schools in the Ashanti, Eastern, and Central regions, suggesting a widespread pattern.

Private Schools Flag ‘Unusually High’ Failure Rates

The association expressed particular concern about what it termed an “unusually high rate of failures” among private school candidates. It argued that in many instances, the released grades diverge sharply from the students’ own internal assessments, mock examination performances, and terminal results—differences that cannot be plausibly attributed to poor performance alone.

“These are errors of collation and attribution, administrative and technical failures in the processing of results that, if not corrected, will deny hardworking and deserving children the results they earned,” the statement read.

Timing Critical for School Placement

GNAPS stressed that the discrepancies come at a crucial moment, as candidates are currently using their provisional grades to make senior high school and technical school selection decisions. The association warned that inaccurate grades could irreparably distort students’ educational trajectories, since the national placement system relies heavily on the official BECE grades awarded.

“These discrepancies have come at a critical moment. The placement process largely depends on the grades awarded, and any errors could affect students’ choices and future academic progress,” the association noted.

Demands and Next Steps

GNAPS has called on WAEC to:

· Conduct an urgent reconciliation and audit of all affected results.
· Correct every identified discrepancy and ensure that every candidate receives results that accurately reflect the papers they sat and the work they produced.
· Award results strictly on merit, without bias based on whether a candidate attended a public or private school.

The association said it is currently compiling and documenting all complaints from its member schools nationwide. It warned that should WAEC fail to adequately address the concerns and correct the affected results, its leadership will meet to determine the next course of collective action.

WAEC’s Position

WAEC has not yet issued an official response to GNAPS’s allegations. However, the examination body recently completed nationwide tours of BECE centres, led by Dr. Rosemond Wilson, Head of the National Office, to monitor the conduct of the exams. The release of provisional results marks the beginning of the school placement cycle, with the final results expected after the usual moderation and appeals process.

The 2026 BECE, which marked the first cohort under the new standards-based curriculum, saw over 600,000 candidates sit for the examination across Ghana. WAEC has previously pledged to maintain integrity and transparency in the grading process, but GNAPS’s allegations now cast a shadow over the credibility of this year’s provisional releases.

As parents, students, and school heads await clarity, the association has urged WAEC to act swiftly to restore confidence in the system and prevent further anxiety among candidates facing critical transition decisions.