The Ghana Education Service (GES) has established four security posts in conflict-prone areas to ensure the safety of candidates taking part in the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), which begins today, August 5, with practical sessions.

Addressing the media, the Director-General of GES, Prof Ernest Kofi Davis, outlined critical security measures aimed at guaranteeing the smooth conduct of this year’s examination.

“We are ensuring security presence in the schools, so there will be no day students this year. All candidates will remain on campus under security protection until they complete their exams,” Prof. Davis stated. “Those who need to be escorted will be taken back to the safe communities they came from. We have four security posts, one in Nkwanta and three in the Northern Region.”

On the issue of examination malpractice, Prof. Davis expressed grave concern about widespread cheating in previous years, especially in the Ashanti Region, where 76 out of 144 schools were implicated in various forms of misconduct.

“No examination malpractice will be tolerated this year,” he warned. “The GES Council has empowered us to dismiss individuals and supervisors found complicit in any form of cheating.”

This year’s WASSCE will see candidates sit for 65 subjects, with each student expected to write a minimum of eight.

The GES says it is working closely with security agencies and examination supervisors to uphold the integrity of the exams and ensure the safety and well-being of all candidates.

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has warned that any supervisor or invigilator caught engaging in examination malpractice in this year's West African Senior School Certificate Examination for School Candidates (WASSCE-SC) will be dismissed.

The GES Council had given the service the power to dismiss any supervisor or invigilator found to have assisted candidates to cheat.

The GES, therefore, advised supervisors and invigilators to comport themselves and refrain from acts that could bring the examination into disrepute.

The acting Director General of the GES, Professor Ernest Kofi Davis, said this at a press conference in Accra on Monday, August 4, when he briefed the media on the 2025 WASSCE.

"We know the effect of examination malpractice on the integrity of the certificates and the education system as a whole, so they shouldn't do it. We want to protect the integrity of our examinations.

"The information for them is that they will be dismissed if they are caught. The GES council has given GES the power to dismiss invigilators and supervisors who are caught indulging in examination malpractices," he said. 

He called for support from all stakeholders to ensure smooth and successful examinations devoid of collusion and other forms of malpractice.

Responding to questions on arrangements that have been put in place for candidates at the Bawku Senior High School (SHS) and Zuarungu SHS, both in the Upper East Region, Nalerigu SHS in the North East Region, as well as Nkwanta SHS in the Oti Region, he said there would be a heavy security presence in those schools.

“So, we are in touch with the security agencies there; the students would have a security presence and would have some security escort.

“So, we are working collaboratively with the security to ensure that we have incident-free examinations. So, you are right, we are in conflict, so we are ready to get the students to take the exams,” he stated.

Regarding Nkwanta SHS, he said there would be security posts at the school to ensure that candidates were well protected.

“I just spoke with the head of security there. We are getting the security presence in the school. The security will be there to ensure that there is law and order.

“So, they will have security posts in the school and students are going to take the exams in the school under security protection. I can confirm that because I just had a conversation with the head of security,” he assured.

A total of 461,640 candidates across the country are expected to sit for the WASSCE examination. This number is made up of 207,381 male candidates and 254,259 female candidates.

The examination will be conducted in about 701 examination centres across the country.

Prof. Davis said the GES would collaborate with WAEC and the security agencies to ensure law and order during the examination.

He congratulated the candidates and wished them all the best in the examination and admonished them to prepare very well for the papers.

“They should apply themselves to their books and ensure that they do independent work during the examination. I will advise them not to rely on “apo” or external help because that will not come. We are sure that that will not happen in the examination.

“They shouldn't engage in any form of malpractice because that will attract severe punishment, and we don't want them to find themselves in that situation."

Meanwhile, the GES has released GH¢15,849,920 to cover the practical fees of the 2025 WASSCE nationwide.

By Yussif Ibrahim

Kumasi, July 29, GNA – The 7th Quadrennial and 54th Delegates Conference of the Ashanti Regional branch of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) is underway at the Christian Village in Kumasi.

The conference has brought together hundreds of delegates from various districts across the region to review the mandate of the outgoing executives and elect new officers to lead the Association for the next four years.

Mr. Prosper Tachie, the incumbent Regional Chairman, is running unopposed and is expected to retain his position, leading a new team of executives into the next phase of leadership.

Being held on the theme: “Educating an Africa Fit for the 21st Century: The Role of Policy Makers and the Unions in Ghana”, the conference opened with the presence of some

national GNAT executives and key education stakeholders, including the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene.

Dr. Amoakohene commended teachers for their dedicated service to national development, describing them as the main producers of human capital critical to the country’s progress.

He emphasized the importance of prioritising teacher welfare and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to enhancing the education sector.

He noted that under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama, the government was poised to implement key recommendations from the recent National Education Dialogue.

These, he said, were aimed at reshaping the educational landscape in favour of both teachers and learners.

A major outcome of the dialogue, according to the Minister, was the introduction of the “Teacher Dabre” initiative.

Under this policy, no new school infrastructure project would be approved without a corresponding provision for teachers’ accommodation, a directive he said the President had already issued.

Other speakers at the event emphasized the critical role of teachers in national transformation and called for the election of capable and visionary leaders who could advocate effectively for improved conditions of service and the welfare of GNAT members.

The conference continues with deliberations expected to culminate in the election of new regional officers on the second day.

A former Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, Dr. Kwabena Bempah Tandoh, has criticized the Bawku Municipal Security Council’s decision to deploy military escorts for students writing the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

Dr Tandoh described the move as counterproductive, arguing that the presence of armed security forces in examination centers could traumatize rather than protect the students.

The decision by local authorities comes amid renewed tensions and violent clashes in the Bawku municipality, which have raised concerns about the safety of students commuting to and from examination centers.

The Bawku Municipal Security Council insists the military escort is a necessary precaution to safeguard lives and ensure the smooth conduct of the exams.

"We will send security, we will bus them, we don't want them to come by themselves. We will look for school buses to bring them to the campus. And then we will put police and military on the campus so that these students can write their exam in peace," Bawku Municipal Chief Executive, Isaac Azunaba, explained.

Final year students of the Nalerigu Senior High School are also affected by the closure of the school following the murder of two students there last week.

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has directed all Regional Directors to ensure the immediate refund of any monies collected from students or their parents for the 2025 WASSCE practical examinations.
In an official letter dated July 28, 2025, and signed by the Ag Deputy Director-General (MS), Prof Smile Dzisi, GES confirmed that the Government of Ghana had already released full funding to cover all costs related to the practical exams, including materials and resources.

Management expressed concern over reports that some school heads had demanded payments from candidates, parents, or guardians despite the availability of government funds for the same purpose.
The affected heads have been ordered to: Refund all monies collected for the WASSCE practicals;

Properly document the refund process and issue official receipts to confirm repayments and notify their respective Regional Directors once the refunds have been completed.

GES emphasised that adhering to this directive would help reduce financial burdens on families and prevent any student from being excluded due to inability to pay. The Service also warned that failure to comply would be regarded as a serious breach of official instructions and could result in administrative sanctions.
Regional Directors have been tasked to disseminate the directive to all school heads through their Municipal, Metro, and District Directors of Education.

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has announced that government has fully cleared all outstanding arrears of the Capitation Grant for public basic schools.

This development, according to the Head of Public Relations, Daniel Fenyii, covers the period from 2023 to date.

"This payment reflects government’s strong resolve and practical support towards the smooth operation and effective management of basic education across the country,” the statement read.

The Capitation Grant provides essential funding for the day-to-day management of public basic schools, including the purchase of teaching and learning materials, minor repairs, and other school-level administrative activities.

According to the service, the timely release of the grant “empowers heads of basic schools to deliver quality education with greater autonomy and accountability.”

GES expressed appreciation to both the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance for prioritising the payment of the grant despite ongoing economic challenges.

“The Management of GES acknowledges and appreciates the efforts of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance for prioritising this payment despite the prevailing economic pressures,” the statement reads.

GES also commended heads of schools for their patience and continued dedication in the face of delays: “We further commend all heads of basic schools for their patience and continued dedication in ensuring that teaching and learning have remained uninterrupted, regardless.”

With funds now fully disbursed, GES urged school leaders to use the grants responsibly and in strict accordance with established guidelines.

“We urge all school leaders to use the funds responsibly and in line with the guidelines for the utilisation of the Capitation Grant,” the Service advised.

GES added that monitoring efforts would be intensified to ensure proper use of the funds. “Monitoring teams at the district and regional levels will intensify supervision to ensure compliance and value for money.”

GES reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening education delivery in the country.

“GES remains committed to working with all stakeholders to improve learning outcomes, enhance school management systems, and ensure the delivery of inclusive, equitable, and quality education for every Ghanaian child.”