Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. Clement Apaak, has assured the Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS) that concerns raised over the provisional 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results will be given due attention by the Ministry, as pressure continues to mount over the credibility of this year’s results.
Dr. Apaak gave the assurance after receiving a petition from the Association in Accra calling for an audit and review of the results, adding another layer to an already unfolding dispute between private school stakeholders and examination authorities over this year’s BECE outcomes.
The petition was delivered directly to the Deputy Minister’s office as part of GNAPS’ ongoing efforts to have its concerns formally documented and addressed at the highest levels of the education sector.
In its petition, GNAPS raised a number of specific concerns, including alleged grading inconsistencies affecting candidates, low pass rates recorded among private school students, and instances where some students reportedly received grades for subjects they had not registered to write.
The Association argued that these issues, taken together, point to broader irregularities in how the provisional results were compiled and released, and warned that if left unaddressed, they could unfairly affect the placement prospects of thousands of private school candidates currently going through the school selection process.
“The Ministry would consider the concerns fairly and transparently without prejudging the issues.”
Dr. Clement Apaak
GNAPS’ petition follows an earlier public statement in which the Association called on WAEC to conduct an immediate audit of the results, citing reports gathered from member schools across all 16 regions of the country.
Responding to the concerns raised, Dr. Apaak said the Ministry would consider the issues fairly and transparently, stressing that it would not prejudge the matter before conducting a proper assessment of the claims made by GNAPS.
His comments suggest the Ministry intends to treat the petition as a legitimate basis for further inquiry rather than dismissing the concerns outright, a position likely to be welcomed by private school stakeholders who have pushed for greater scrutiny of the results in recent days.
Equity for Every Ghanaian Child, Regardless of School Type
Dr. Apaak underscored government’s recognition of the important role private schools play within Ghana’s broader education system, noting that every Ghanaian child deserves fairness and equity in the examination process, regardless of whether they attend a public or private institution.
“Every Ghanaian child deserves fairness and equity regardless of whether they attend a public or private school.”
Dr. Clement Apaak
His remarks appeared aimed at reassuring private school stakeholders that their concerns are being taken seriously at the ministerial level, rather than treated as a lesser priority compared to public school interests. By publicly affirming the importance of private schools to the wider education system, Dr. Apaak sought to strike a conciliatory tone with an association that has grown increasingly vocal in recent weeks.
Dr. Apaak assured the Association that the petition would be forwarded to the Minister for Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, for the necessary action, indicating that the matter would now move up the Ministry’s chain of command for further consideration and possible decision-making. He did not, however, provide a specific timeline for when a response or decision on the audit request might be expected.
Part of a Wider Dispute Over BECE Grading
The petition adds to mounting pressure on education authorities over the credibility of the provisional 2026 BECE results, following earlier concerns raised publicly by GNAPS and a response from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), which has maintained that its stanine grading system is applied fairly and uniformly to all candidates regardless of school type.
With the Ministry of Education now formally engaged through this petition, attention turns to whether the concerns raised will prompt further scrutiny of the results, and what impact, if any, this could have on the ongoing school placement process already underway under the Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS).
For thousands of private school candidates and their families anxiously awaiting clarity, the coming days are likely to determine whether their concerns translate into concrete action or remain, for now, a matter still under consideration.
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