Rethinking the BECE Grading System: A Path to Resolving the Private Schools–WAEC Dispute

Following the release of the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results, the National Council of Private Schools has accused the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) of deliberately using what it describes as a “MAFIA” marking scheme against private schools, resulting in poor performance by their students. The Council has formally called on the Ministry of Education to investigate the allegation.

WAEC, for its part, has denied any discriminatory marking against private schools. In fact, this is not the first time such concerns have surfaced. In 2023, WAEC issued a detailed response to similar allegations of a supposed “MAFIA” marking scheme for private basic schools.

The persistence of these disagreements over the years suggests that Ghana may need to look beyond the question of whether WAEC or private schools are right and instead ask whether the current BECE grading system remains the best way to achieve the two purposes for which the examination is used: certification and placement.

The Roots of the Disagreement

For many private schools, BECE results are a critical measure of their academic reputation. The number of Grade 1s, strong aggregates and students placed in highly regarded senior high schools influences how parents perceive a school and, ultimately, their willingness to enroll their children or pay higher fees.

WAEC, on the other hand, has an interest in protecting the integrity of the examination. The credibility of an examination body depends heavily on public confidence that its results are fairly and consistently produced. This creates an environment in which a significant difference between a school’s expectations and the final BECE results can quickly escalate into a dispute.

Understanding the Current Grading System

WAEC uses the Stanine grading system for the BECE. According to the examination body, this system has been used since the inception of the examination in 1990. WAEC explains that candidates are graded in relation to the performance of the cohort and that there are no fixed grade boundaries because the boundaries vary from year to year depending on candidates’ performance.

The BECE uses a nine‑point scale, with Grade 1 representing the highest performance and Grade 9 the lowest. This means that a student’s raw mark does not necessarily translate into the same grade every year. As a result, a student may perform very strongly on the examination but receive a lower grade than expected because the final grade is determined within the broader performance distribution of that year’s candidates.

For a 14‑year‑old student, this can become a source of pride, disappointment, anxiety or even embarrassment.

For parents, it can feel like a judgement on the quality of the education they have paid for.

For private schools, it can significantly affect their reputation.

And for WAEC, every disputed result becomes a challenge to the credibility of the examination system.

Suggested Reform of the BECE Grading System

The discussion above suggests that it may be time for Ghana to reconsider the BECE grading system, which has remained unchanged since the examination was introduced 36 years ago. One possible reform would be to separate the examination’s certification function from its placement function.

1. Certification Reform

For certification purposes, the current nine‑point grading scale could be replaced with a simple Pass/Not Passed reporting system. The central question would be whether a student has demonstrated the minimum competencies required to successfully complete basic education in a particular subject.

• If the student demonstrates those competencies, the result would be reported as Pass.
• If the student does not meet the required standard, the result would be reported as Not Passed.

2. Placement Reform

For placement purposes, the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) could continue to use candidates’ raw examination scores, together with their school choices and available places in senior high schools, to determine placement outcomes.

Conclusion

This approach could help address the WAEC–private school dispute by shifting attention away from the grade attached to a pass and toward the more important question of whether a student has demonstrated the competencies required to complete basic education.

By Richmond Arkoh Botwey, Graduate Assistant, University of Nebraska at Omaha, USA

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