The Conference of Heads of Private Second-Cycle Schools (CHOPSS) has issued a strong appeal to the government to promptly settle the outstanding debt of GH₵118 million owed to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
This call comes amidst growing anxiety and frustration among private secondary schools as the release of the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results remains uncertain.
The substantial debt has severely disrupted the examination process, leaving thousands of students’ futures in jeopardy.
The financial predicament stems from the Ministry of Education’s failure to pay the owed amount, leading to a breakdown in essential scanning equipment necessary for processing exam results.
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CHOPSS, representing private educational institutions in Ghana, has expressed its deep concern over the situation.
The association has labeled the delay in releasing the results as a significant injustice to students who have diligently prepared for their examinations.
“This situation is nothing short of a national disgrace,” CHOPSS declared in a press release issued on December 22.
The association emphasized that the delay, primarily caused by the breakdown of crucial scanners due to a lack of funds for maintenance and repairs, is unacceptable.
In a statement released on December 9, 2024, WAEC identified the breakdown of scanners used for processing objective cards as the primary reason for the delay.
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According to WAEC, an outstanding payment of GHC118 million owed by the Ministry of Education is urgently needed to resolve the problem.
“Regrettably, although students in private schools who sat for the 2024 WASSCE duly paid WASSCE registration fees, our students are also being denied the right to receive their results. This situation is unacceptable, because most universities in Ghana have their admission deadlines in January 2025,” CHOPSS stated.
The association also noted that, had it not been for the breakdown of the scanners, private schools would have requested WAEC to release their results independently, as they do not owe any fees to the council.
CHOPSS highlighted the unfairness of the government’s failure to address this issue promptly.
“We therefore wish to call on the government as a matter of urgency to disburse any outstanding balance due to the Council so that the results can be released immediately. Private Senior High Schools have suffered enough,” CHOPSS urged.
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CHOPSS has further warned that they would be compelled to take action in collaboration with parents and students if a positive response is not forthcoming in the coming days.
“For eight years, we have been ignored and not considered worthy of participating in the free SHS policy. For eight years, our classrooms have been left virtually empty as parents are forced to make economic decisions in choosing a senior high school for their wards,” the association lamented.
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