The 59th Annual Meeting of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has ended in Accra, Ghana with the election of Ghana’s Chief Government Nominee on Council, Ms. Benedicta N. Biney, as Vice-Chairman for a one-year tenure. She succeeds Hon. (Dr.) Mator F.  Kpangbai of Liberia.

The meeting, which was held from Tuesday, March 15 to Friday, March 18, 2011, was formally declared open by His Excellency, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Ghana, who was represented by the Chairman of the Council of State, Prof. Kofi Awoonor.

In an address read on his behalf by Prof. Awoonor, President Atta Mills welcomed delegates to Ghana.  He described WAEC as an important organization in the West African sub-region and lauded its positive role in the development of quality education and human capital. He stated that the fact that the Council had stood the test of time was ample proof that regional cooperation was possible and beneficial, especially if the various governments could pool their resources, collaborate and face challenges together for mutual benefits.

The President disclosed that his government would remain committed to its responsibilities to WAEC, and urged other member governments to continue to lend support to the Council’s efforts at fulfilling the aspirations of its numerous stakeholders. He stated that the Government of Ghana had demonstrated its resolve to rise against examination malpractice by the promulgation and enforcement of the relevant law, adding that stakeholders in education must not relent in the fight, as the evil was capable of undermining the educational system of the sub-region.

President Mills commended WAEC for upgrading its operations through ICT deployment and other innovations in service delivery, and expressed the hope that the Council’s modernized systems would further accelerate the processing of candidates’ results.

The week-long meeting was attended by delegates from the Member Countries of WAEC – The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. Among the delegates were the nominees of governments, representatives of ministries/departments of education, universities, teachers’ associations, and other interests.

Council, which is the main Governing Board and highest decision-making organ of The West African Examinations Council, holds its meeting annually in rotation among the five Member Countries. At the 59th Meeting, it reviewed the activities and operations of the organization in the five Member Countries. It considered reports from its National and International Committees on various aspects of the Council’s operations and ratified the decisions taken on its behalf in the course of the preceding year by the Committees.  It also deliberated on the action plans presented by the Offices and Committees to ensure smooth and successful operations in the year ahead.

Council received from the leaders of the Member Countries’ delegation status reports on the activities, plans and programmes of their respective governments for the improvement of education. It noted with appreciation the laudable projects they had embarked upon in their countries to address the educational needs of their citizens. It however, observed with worry that lofty and laudable as some of the earlier plans and programmes were, they had either remained in their infancy or were not effectively implemented. Council appealed for greater commitment to programmes and projects that could enhance quality manpower production and succession. It also urged the governments and relevant agencies to pay closer attention to education and ensure adequate funding of the sector for national growth and sustainable development.

Council noted with appreciation the educational reforms in some of the Member Countries and ratified the revised syllabuses for WASSCE to be conducted in Ghana from 2011. It expressed worry over the persistence of malpractice in public examinations in the Member Countries and reiterated its appeal to member governments and stakeholders in education to intensify efforts to rid the sub-region of the social malaise.

Council expressed delight over the high level of ICT deployment by the National Offices and the Headquarters which had led to improved service delivery to stakeholders in all the Member Countries, and urged all Offices to continue to acquire state-of-the-art facilities for their operations.

It noted with deep concern that out of the 1,394,365 candidates who sat the May/June 2010 WASSCE in West Africa, none satisfied the selection criteria for the Annual WAEC Excellence Award. It therefore, urged governments and other stakeholders in education to take urgent steps to arrest the deterioration in the school system and improve the quality of teaching and learning at all levels of education. It also urged governments to evolve educational policies that would enhance the eradication or control of diseases such as HIV/AIDs and Sickle Cell Anaemia in the sub-region.

The Annual Council Meeting was preceded by the 16th WAEC Endowment Fund Lecture entitled Towards Excellence in the Teaching and Learning of the Language of Science, which was delivered by Professor D. A. Akyeampong, former Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana.

The prestigious award of Distinguished Friend of Council was conferred on Mrs Sabina Ofori-Boateng, a citizen of Ghana, for her meritorious service to the Council.

Biodun Aduloju

Deputy Director/Head, Public Affairs

Issued by:                       
Public Affairs Unit
WAEC Headquarters
Accra, Ghana.

March 25, 2011