'I repeated Form 4, now I’m a Chancellor' – Bishop Titi-Ofei encourages students who failed BECE

Bishop Dr Gideon Titi-Ofei has encouraged students who did not perform well in the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) not to see their results as the end of their dreams.

Sharing his own educational journey, the Chancellor and founder of the University of Gold Coast said he once left secondary school after he was asked to repeat Form Four.

According to him, the support of his mother and his faith helped him overcome the setback and eventually build a career in education and leadership.

“I left secondary school in Form Four after being asked to repeat, but my mother stood by me,” he wrote in a Facebook post.

“Today, by God’s grace, I am a university founder and a Chancellor. To every child who did not pass the BECE, this is not the end.”

His message comes at a time when thousands of Ghanaian families are dealing with the outcome of the 2026 BECE, with the results determining the next stage of education for candidates seeking placement into senior high schools.

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) released the provisional 2026 BECE results on July 30.

A total of 620,243 candidates, comprising 304,415 males and 315,828 females, sat for the examination from 20,789 schools at 2,237 centres across the country. WAEC said 3,601 registered candidates were absent.

The release, however, was followed by concerns over examination irregularities. WAEC cancelled the subject results of 496 candidates and the entire results of 105 candidates, while the results of 119 candidates were withheld at subject level and those of 48 candidates were withheld in their entirety.

The Council also said the results of 2,722 candidates from 229 schools had been withheld for further scrutiny.

Against this backdrop, Bishop Titi-Ofei is offering a different perspective on examination results, urging young people not to allow an academic setback to define their future.

His own career has since taken him into higher education. He founded Accra Business School, which has now become the University of Gold Coast, and was officially invested as the university’s Chancellor in May 2025.

The University of Gold Coast describes him as an educator, pastor and motivational speaker, noting that he established the institution to foster leadership development.

At his investiture, Bishop Titi-Ofei said the university was not simply established to produce graduates but to help shape people capable of making an impact.

“We are not here to produce graduates with just degrees; we are here to release destinies,” he said at the ceremony.

His latest message therefore carries a personal lesson for students who may be disappointed by their BECE performance: an examination result may influence the next step, but it does not necessarily determine the destination.

The highly respected bishop encouraged students facing disappointment after the 2026 BECE that it is not the end.