The Executive Director of the Institute for Education Studies, Dr. Peter Anti, has voiced increasing concerns regarding the alleged deliberate targeting of private schools by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) following the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results. Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Dr. Anti cautioned against premature claims of sabotage without robust evidence, emphasizing the need for verifiable data before attributing blame to private schools. His statements highlight a recurring pattern of allegations since 2022, frequently lacking sufficient supporting data to establish a deliberate discriminatory action against private institutions. According to Dr. Anti, numerous reports of these concerns have surfaced annually, yet the allegations themselves have not been substantiated with concrete evidence demonstrating a pattern of sabotage or preferential treatment towards private schools. He underscored the importance of providing detailed data regarding candidate performance, comparing it across various private school categories, and explicitly requesting WAEC to release this information to facilitate a more comprehensive understanding of BECE results trends. Dr. Anti further questioned the timing of these allegations, suggesting that they often precede the release of BECE results, and cautioned against rushing to conclusions while acknowledging the seriousness of student performance concerns. He asserted that a disaggregated analysis of BECE results, showing which specific private school categories are experiencing declines, would offer greater clarity and transparency, enabling stakeholders to identify the root causes of student performance challenges effectively. The consistent nature of these allegations, he emphasized, has raised concerns about WAEC’s oversight and the potential for hasty investigations before sufficient evidence is available. Dr. Anti stressed the need for evidence-based discussions and a focus on verifiable data rather than unsubstantiated allegations, advocating for a cautious approach to addressing student performance issues. The question of why these allegations have often emerged before the release of BECE results, with the examination body often being criticized prior to investigation, is a central point of contention, prompting a call for the private schools’ associations to provide data illustrating how their performance compares to previous years. He concluded by requesting that WAEC provide data allowing for a trend analysis of BECE performance, directly addressing the core issue of the allegations and seeking a more transparent and data-driven approach to evaluating student performance. The discussion, he stated, should be focused on data rather than speculation, fostering a more meaningful debate and ensuring that stakeholders accurately assess the situation.
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Source: Adom Online
