The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has cleared the air on recent misconceptions surrounding the grading system for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
Following claims circulating on social media, WAEC has confirmed that no changes have been made to the grading system despite updates to the Junior High School (JHS) curriculum.
John Kapi, the Head of Public Affairs at WAEC, addressed the misinformation, stating that the grading method for the BECE remains the same as it has been since the examination’s introduction in 1990.
He reassured the public that the widely-used Stanine grading system continues to be in place, and any rumors about a new system are untrue.
Kapi pointed out that the Stanine system does not allow for direct comparison of students’ performances across different years, which is why reports or statistics showing pass rates or failure rates from the council have not been made public.
He emphasized that should any changes be made to the grading structure, they would be discussed thoroughly with stakeholders and officially announced by the council.
In response to claims that WAEC had introduced a new grading system, Kapi urged the public to disregard the false information, especially when it involves statistics that are being circulated as official WAEC data.
He confirmed that these figures are not endorsed or released by the Examinations Council.
The official also explained that the council had previously addressed such misunderstandings during a public forum held last year in Accra.
The event was organized to clarify the BECE grading system and to address concerns about alleged discrepancies in marking schemes between public and private schools.
According to the council, there has been no distinction between the marking schemes used for both types of schools.
At the forum, a WAEC representative clarified that a grade 9 in the BECE should not be viewed as a failure but as an indication of the student’s potential.
The aim of the forum was to dispel myths and ensure that the public understood the purpose behind the grading system, which seeks to measure a student’s abilities, rather than simply label their performance as a success or failure.
This clarification from WAEC follows a series of misinformation campaigns that have gained traction, especially with the growing interest in the education system’s examination processes.
The council continues to urge the public to rely on official communications and to disregard misleading content that can confuse the general public and potential candidates.
Despite changes in the educational framework, WAEC insists that its core assessment practices, including the grading system, have remained consistent over the years.
As part of its commitment to transparency, WAEC has also stated that it will continue to hold public forums and discussions to educate the public about the exam procedures, grading, and results interpretation, ensuring that parents, students, and educators are on the same page.
The 2024 BECE will follow the established procedures, and students are encouraged to focus on their studies without being distracted by false claims about the examination’s grading system.
WAEC remains committed to providing a fair and transparent examination process for all candidates, whether they are sitting for the BECE as school candidates or as private candidates.
