GNACOPS Accuses Government of BECE Marking Bias Against Private School Students in Ghana

Ferdinand | EducationGhana |  November 01| GNACOPS Accuses Government of BECE Marking Bias Against Private School Students in Ghana

 
“Enoch Kwasi Gyetuah, Director of GNACOPS, claims government bias in BECE marking and school placement favors public JHS students, calling for transparency and equal opportunity for private school candidates. WAEC denies allegations, asserting uniform marking practices.”

GNACOPS Director Alleges Government Bias in BECE Marking for Public JHS Students

The National Director of the Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS), Enoch Kwasi Gyetuah, has raised concerns over alleged bias in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) process, claiming that the government allocates favorable marking percentages to public Junior High School (JHS) students. Gyetuah argues that this policy places private JHS candidates at a disadvantage in both marking and school placement.

Claims of Government Bias in BECE Marking and Placement

Speaking with Education Ghana’s Ellis Ferdinand, Gyetuah cited the government’s allocation of a 30% placement reservation in Category A schools for public school candidates as an indication of possible preferential marking practices. “If they can reserve 30% placement for public schools, they can also allocate a certain marking percentage for them,” Gyetuah stated, suggesting a systemic bias in favor of public school students in BECE marking and placement processes.

WAEC’s Response to Allegations of Favoritism

In response to similar claims in 2021, the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) refuted the allegations, describing them as unfounded and lacking evidence. WAEC spokesperson Madam Agnes Teye Cudjoe emphasized that all BECE scripts are marked uniformly, without differentiation between private and public school candidates.

She explained that examiners are provided only with candidates’ names and index numbers, not school information, eliminating the possibility of selective marking. “We do not have different index numbers for private and public schools,” Cudjoe said. With over 10,000 WAEC examiners involved in the BECE marking process, she dismissed the notion that examiners could be directed to favor public school students.

Calls for Independent Review and Re-marking of BECE Scripts

In response to these alleged biases, Gyetuah has called for re-marking of the 2024 BECE scripts and an independent review to ensure fairness in school placements and marking practices. He argued that the 30% placement policy benefits public school students, skewing placement results against private school candidates despite their performance.

Gyetuah added that this perceived bias has led some parents to withdraw their children from private schools as they transition to JHS, aiming to increase their chances in the competitive school placement process. He believes transparency in both marking and placement is essential to restore confidence among private school students and their families.

As calls for fairness and transparency in the BECE marking and school placement processes continue, the dialogue between GNACOPS and WAEC underscores the need for clarity in examination procedures to ensure equal opportunities for all