Ghana’s Minister for Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, has called on the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to revert the national examination timetable to its pre-pandemic structure.
Speaking at the WAEC Distinction Awards ceremony on June 26, 2025, the Minister strongly appealed to both institutions to restore the original schedules for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
The Education Minister noted that the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect the country’s education structure.
The prolonged changes to the academic calendar, he noted, have made it increasingly difficult for students to experience a smooth transition between levels of education.
“We are not particularly happy that since COVID, our academic calendar has affected the seamless transition of students to the next layer of their career development.
“GES and WAEC must work together to restore an acceptable calendar, one that is in sync with the rest of the West African system.”
Hon. Haruna Iddrisu
Accordingly, he emphasized the need for a coordinated regional approach, stating that a harmonized academic year would promote fairness, stability, and equal opportunities for students across the sub-region.
The Minister stressed that Ghana cannot afford to remain isolated or continue operating on a fragmented academic schedule that differs from neighboring countries.
Such disjointed timelines, he noted, hinder smooth transitions between educational levels and put Ghanaian students at a disadvantage compared to their peers elsewhere in West Africa.
A synchronized academic system, he argued, would strengthen regional integration in education and enhance the credibility of national examinations.
WAEC To Oversee Mahama’s New Scholarship Initiative
Meanwhile, the Hon. Haruna Iddrisu also announced a major educational incentive.
Beginning this year, the top ten best-performing WASSCE candidates across Ghana will be awarded full scholarships under a presidential initiative led by President John Dramani Mahama.
“I have the pleasure of President John Dramani Mahama to announce today that these award winners of three — the President has asked me to expand it to ten awardees.”
Hon. Haruna Iddrisu
According to the Minister, this scholarship package will be offered “without any interference from WAEC’s determination of these best students.”
The scholarships will be fully funded through the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), ensuring sustainability and transparency. A new Scholarship Authority will soon be established to manage and oversee the disbursement and administration of the programme.
The Education Minister underscored that this initiative is not politically driven. Rather, it is a strategic move to reward excellence and encourage competitiveness among senior high school students preparing for the WASSCE.
The announcement has been widely welcomed by education stakeholders as a sign of growing government commitment to uplifting academic standards and recognising outstanding student achievements.
The initiative is expected to motivate thousands of students preparing for their final exams.
While the scholarship scheme adds a fresh incentive for learners, the pressing concern remains the reinstatement of the academic calendar to its original format.
For many educators and parents, the pre-COVID schedule offered a sense of structure and predictability that has been missing since 2020.
The Minister’s message, therefore, resonates not just as a call to action but as a strategic roadmap for Ghana’s post-pandemic educational recovery.
Restoring the academic calendar would not only benefit students academically but also help educators, parents, and policymakers plan more effectively.
The Education Ministry’s renewed focus on educational stability—through both calendar restoration and merit-based scholarships—suggests a broader effort to reset the country’s academic direction.
With WAEC and GES at the helm of implementation, all eyes will now be on how quickly these proposals translate into concrete changes in the classroom.
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