Haruna Iddrisu directs GES, WAEC to reform exam materials distribution after BECE disruption

Education Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, has directed the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to urgently reform the transportation and delivery of examination materials to centres across the country, following a disruption at the start of this year's Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

The directive comes after question papers failed to arrive on time at the Boako M/A Basic School examination centre in the Western North Region on Monday, May 4, leaving 273 candidates from nine schools waiting as other centres across the country had already begun writing.

At 9:15 am — fifteen minutes after the scheduled start of the examination — question papers had still not reached the Boako centre. Answer booklets had been distributed to candidates, and supervisors and invigilators were in place, but the examination could not begin. Other centres had commenced the paper approximately 15 minutes earlier.

The Minister, who visited the centre and witnessed the situation firsthand, expressed concern at what he described as an avoidable breakdown in logistics.

"Ordinarily, candidates are supposed to be seated 15 minutes before the examination. However, I see answer sheets here without question papers. They are now on their way. We must therefore review the process of transporting examination questions to centres," Mr Iddrisu said.

Addressing the GES Director-General directly, the Minister underscored the urgency of the matter, pointing to the Director-General's seat on the WAEC Council as a direct avenue for pushing reform.

"Director-General, you sit on the WAEC Council, so we need immediate reforms," he said.

Mr Iddrisu was unequivocal that the current distribution system requires structural change. "WAEC has to change the way they do things," he said, adding that delays of this nature undermine the integrity and smooth conduct of national examinations.

"We have to review how exam questions are transported to the examination centres," he added.

Despite the disruption, Mr Iddrisu took a moment to offer encouragement to the candidates waiting at the centre, conveying goodwill from the presidency.

"I've just come to wish you the best of luck on behalf of President Mahama," he told the students.

The GES and WAEC are yet to issue a formal statement on the incident or the timeline for implementing the Minister's directive.