Editorial : Trust in BECE results matters more than who wins this argument

Every year, thousands of Ghanaian families pin their hopes on the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). For many children, it is the first major test that shapes the next stage of their education and, in many cases, their future opportunities.

That is why allegations that private school candidates may have been marked differently from their counterparts in public schools cannot simply be dismissed as another disagreement between institutions. Equally, such claims cannot be accepted without compelling evidence.

The public deserves facts.

The Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS) has questioned the credibility of the 2026 BECE results, arguing that the outcomes do not reflect the academic performance many of its member schools have consistently demonstrated. It points to what it describes as an unusually low pass rate, particularly in the core subjects, and says there appears to be a mismatch between how candidates performed during the examinations and the grades eventually awarded.

These are serious concerns.

But they remain allegations.

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC), for its part, has firmly rejected the claims. It insists that every

BECE candidate whether from a private or public school is treated as part of a single national cohort. According to WAEC, all scripts are marked using one approved marking scheme, examiners undergo coordination to ensure uniformity, and the identity of candidates' schools is concealed during the marking process.

If WAEC's explanation accurately reflects what happens during the marking process, then the allegation of different marking schemes is fundamentally inconsistent with the system it describes.

That, however, should not be the end of the discussion.

Public confidence is the real issue

Examinations do not merely produce grades; they produce public confidence.

The value of every certificate issued by WAEC depends not only on technical accuracy but also on the public's belief that the assessment process is fair, transparent and impartial.

When a significant stakeholder such as GNAPS publicly questions the integrity of the results, confidence inevitably suffers. Parents begin to doubt. Students feel aggrieved. Schools question whether their years of work have been fairly recognised.

In education, perception can be almost as damaging as proven misconduct.

This is why WAEC should resist the temptation to see the matter as merely defending its reputation. The institution's reputation is strongest when it welcomes scrutiny rather than dismisses it.

Evidence, not emotion

There is another important principle.

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.

It is not enough to argue that private schools have historically performed well and therefore should have produced

similar results this year. Academic performance changes. Examination standards evolve. Candidate cohorts differ from year to year.

A lower pass rate, by itself, does not prove discrimination.

If GNAPS believes irregularities occurred, it should present verifiable evidence—statistical analysis, identifiable anomalies or documented inconsistencies rather than relying on expectations about historical performance.

Without evidence, speculation risks undermining confidence in an examination system relied upon by hundreds of thousands of candidates.

Transparency is the best response

WAEC also has responsibilities.

While it says there is a single marking scheme, the public knows little about how that system operates beyond broad assurances.

There is room for greater openness.

Explaining, in accessible language, how marking schemes are developed, how examiners are standardised, how scripts are anonymised, how moderation works and how quality assurance checks are conducted would go a long

way towards reassuring anxious parents and schools.

Transparency should not be viewed as a concession.

It is good public administration.

Many examination bodies around the world regularly publish technical reports explaining grading methodologies

and quality assurance processes without compromising examination security.

Greater openness strengthens credibility.

Appeals should be meaningful

WAEC has rightly reminded candidates and schools that they have the right to seek clarification or request reviews

where concerns exist.

That process must be seen as credible, timely and independent.

If schools invest time and money in requesting reviews, they should receive detailed explanations not generic

responses.

A transparent appeals system reassures even those whose results do not change because it demonstrates that

every complaint receives fair consideration.

The bigger challenge

This debate also exposes a wider issue within Ghana's education system.

Far too much rests on a single examination.

For many pupils, years of learning are distilled into one set of results that determine access to senior high school.

When so much depends on one assessment, disputes over fairness become inevitable.

Improving continuous assessment, strengthening school-based evaluations and expanding pathways into secondary education could reduce the enormous pressure placed on a single examination.

The verdict

Neither WAEC nor the private schools should seek victory in the court of public opinion.

What matters is preserving trust in a national examination that affects the lives of thousands of young Ghanaians every year.

GNAPS has every right to raise questions.

WAEC has every duty to answer them.

But both sides owe the public something even more important: evidence, transparency and a commitment to

ensuring that every child regardless of whether they attend a public or private school is assessed fairly.

The integrity of Ghana's examination system is too important to be defended by assertion alone or challenged by suspicion alone.

Trust is earned through openness. And in this case, openness is exactly what the country needs.