By Elizabeth Osayande & Ifunanya Ndigwe

The West African Examinations Council has concluded its 74th Annual Council Meeting in Accra, Ghana, where Professor Ernest Kofi Davis was elected as the Vice Chairman for a one-year tenure. The meeting, which took place from March 24 to March 28, 2026, marked a significant policy shift as the Ghanaian government announced its return to the international version of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination starting from the 2026 diet.

The President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, who was represented by the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, Her Excellency Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, declared the meeting open. President Mahama praised the council for remaining one of the most successful examples of regional collaboration on the continent for over seven decades.

The President expressed his commitment to building strong structures and enhancing operational efficiency within the council. However, Mahama raised concerns regarding the rise in examination malpractice and the activities of fraudsters who aim to falsify results.

“The plethora of fraudsters, all too ready to falsify results and alter certificates, threatens the very core of WAEC’s mandate,” the President stated. He added that if care is not taken, the council risks losing its credibility to these fraudsters.

In a speech delivered on his behalf by the Deputy Minister of Education, Honourable Dr Clement A. Apaak, the Honourable Minister of Education, Ghana, Honourable Haruna Iddrisu, confirmed the reinstatement of the country into the international WASSCE. Iddrisu noted that the international version has more inclination towards credibility, comparability, and regional collaboration.

During the opening ceremony, the council presented the WAEC International Excellence Award to three Ghanaian candidates for their performance in the 2025 WASSCE. The first prize and the Augustus Bandele Oyediran Award for the Best Candidate in West Africa went to Miss Huda Suglo Suleman. The second prize was awarded to Miss Paula Adzo Elinam Suwo, while the third prize went to Miss Matthea Aba Andoh.

Professor Ernest Kofi Davis, who is the Chief Government Nominee for Ghana, succeeds Honourable Amos Armah Fully of Liberia as Vice Chairman. The council also conferred the prestigious Distinguished Friend of Council award on an eminent citizen of Ghana, Professor William Afiakwa Asomaning, for his contributions to the objectives of the organisation.

The week-long event featured the 31st Annual Endowment Fund Lecture titled Fostering Assessment Integrity within the Context of Credentialism, which was delivered by the Technical Advisor to the Minister of Education, Professor George K. T. Oduro.

Delegates from the five member countries, including The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone, attended the meeting. The Chairman of Council, Professor Thomas B. R. Yormah, thanked the people of Ghana for their hospitality. The 75th Annual Council Meeting is scheduled to be hosted by the Federal Government of Nigeria in March 2027.