Update on WASSCE and BECE 2023 Registration for Ghana by WAEC
Attention to all concerned parties, the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has officially announced the commencement of registration for the 2023 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for School Candidates. As of today, Wednesday, 15th March 2023, the registration portal is open and available for use by eligible candidates. Interested candidates are advised to complete their registration before the deadline, which is Wednesday, 19th April 2023.
Requirements
The West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for School Candidates is only available to students in their third and final year of Senior High School. Therefore, schools are not allowed to engage in the following activities, which violate the rules and regulations of the examination:
- Advertise the WASSCE for School Candidates or solicit for students through any means, including print, electronic, or social media.
- Register students who have not been enrolled in senior high school from their first year through to the third year and do not have the required continuous assessment records. The grading for the WASSCE (SC) is 70% external examination score and 30% continuous assessment score. For students who transferred from one school to another, evidence of necessary continuous assessment records is required.
- Register students who are not in their final year or are not bona fide students of the school in question. Reports have been received of students from public schools who switch to private schools to register for the examination because of promises of better grades.
- Register “remedial” students who have previously taken the WASSCE (SC) and only attend public/accredited private schools in form three for examination purposes. Such students are advised to register for the WASSCE for Private Candidates, which is designed specifically for remedial students and allows them to register for the number of subjects they wish to take.
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has raised concerns about the commercialisation of the registration process by some schools. Reports indicate that these schools advertise and lure potential candidates to register for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in their institutions with promises of good grades. Some of the schools that charge between GH¢1,200.00 and GH¢6,750.00 include Olistar Senior High/Technical School, Abesim, Gateway SHS, Sunyani, Lawrence SHS, Sunyani, First Class SHS, Achimota (A1 assured), and Martin Luther SHS, Kintampo (No risk of results cancellation, 100% support by teaching staff, 100% WASSCE results assured).
The WAEC has made it clear that it is against the examination’s rules and regulations for schools to engage in such activities. The council advises prospective candidates and parents to register for the WASSCE in accredited schools and not to be deceived by the promises of unscrupulous institutions.
The approved registration fee for entry in seven or eight subjects is GH¢381.24. This fee does not include the practical or oral test fees, which range between GH¢14.50 and GH¢19.50 per practical test.
We would like to bring to the notice of the general public that it is a serious offence to register non-school or unqualified candidates for school candidates’ examinations or to falsify continuous assessment scores. In light of this, the sanctions for such actions are as follows:
- The affected school will be derecognized for a minimum of one year;
- A report will be submitted to the Ministry of Education or the relevant WAEC Board for disciplinary measures against the individuals responsible;
- The entire results of the non-school or unqualified candidate will be withheld until an investigation by the appropriate Council Committee is completed.
Process of Registration for the WASSCE (SC) 2023
Are you planning to register for the WASSCE (SC) 2023 examination? The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has recently held briefing sessions throughout the country for authorities of 978 schools who are expected to present candidates for the examination. The Council has emphasized to school authorities to take note of the following during the registration process:
- Ensure the correct spelling of names and the arrangement of names in the right order, i.e. Surname, First Name, and Other Names, for instance, ANIM JAMES KWAKU.
- Confirm the date of birth before finalizing the registration process.
- Proper capturing of candidates’ photographs, showing the candidate’s face without sunglasses or spectacles and both ears.
- Registration of candidates for the right subjects.
We urge candidates to ensure that their bio-data is accurately captured. Please note that no amendment of date of birth, rearrangement or addition or subtraction of names will be allowed after the release of final results and printing of certificates.
Candidates with Special Educational Needs Registration
In order to ensure that all candidates are given an equal opportunity to be assessed, the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) will provide special test accommodation arrangements for candidates who have special educational needs or disabilities. This will allow them to take the examination using alternative procedures that are tailored to their needs. To be considered for these arrangements, candidates are required to provide the Council with medical reports that detail their special needs. These requests, along with the medical reports, must be forwarded to the Council no later than Tuesday, 2nd May 2023.
Inspection of Schools
To enhance test security, the Council has conducted an inspection of schools that have applied for accreditation to register candidates for the examination. In addition, some existing schools have been re-inspected to ensure they meet the necessary standards with regards to personnel, infrastructure, equipment, and other relevant facilities.
However, reports received show that some of these schools have been set up solely for remedial examination purposes and are charging high registration fees from candidates, ostensibly to aid them in cheating during the examination. The Council will take appropriate action against such schools.
Revised Rules and Regulations for Examination
The Council has made some revisions to the Rules and Regulations used to address irregularities in its examinations. Among the new rules are guidelines for dealing with:
- Destruction of Exhibits
- Posting of Live Questions on the Internet
- Refusal to allow timely access to school premises
- Misconduct by examination officials
These revised rules can be found on the Council’s website. We urge school administrators to familiarize themselves with these rules and ensure that their candidates are also made aware of them. To create the necessary awareness, the Council will embark on a campaign to sensitize the public about the new rules.
Examination Period
The upcoming WASSCE examination, which will be a version exclusive to Ghana, is scheduled to take place from Monday, 31st July to Tuesday, 26th September 2023. The final timetable for the examination will be provided to all schools and will also be accessible on the WAEC website.
To avoid any discrepancies, candidates are advised to verify the timetable with their schools or visit the official WAEC website. It is important to refrain from downloading timetables from unreliable sources on the internet.
Schedules for BECE for School and Private Candidates, 2023
The BECE for School and Private Candidates, 2023 is scheduled to take place from Monday, 7th to Friday, 11th August 2023. To ensure a smooth registration process for all candidates, the Council will conduct briefing sessions for stakeholders involved in candidate registration from Tuesday, 21st to Friday, 24th March 2023. The registration portal will be open for eligible candidates to register from Monday, 27th March to Friday, 28th April 2023.
It is important that all candidates ensure that their personal information is entered accurately and that they are registered for the correct subjects. School authorities are also urged to ensure that candidates are registered for the appropriate Ghanaian Language and Basic Design Technology options. The Council will provide access arrangements for candidates with special educational needs as with the WASSCE (SC), and the revised rules on examination irregularities will also apply to the BECE.
Heads of Schools are reminded that registering unqualified candidates will lead to the nullification of the candidate’s results. Therefore, it is imperative that they ensure all candidates meet the eligibility criteria before registering them for the examination.
In conclusion, WAEC requests the cooperation of all stakeholders to guarantee a hassle-free registration process for qualified candidates for both examinations. This is crucial to the seamless conduct of the examinations and the prompt release of results.