18 Private Schools Chase Exams Officer For Allegedly ‘Chopping’ BECE Registration Fees In Axim

Private basic schools at Axim in the Western Region are on the heels of the Nzema East Municipal Examination officer for allegedly escaping with the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) fees of their candidates.

The Examination Officer, Enoch Asiamah, is said to have collected the registration fees for the 2022 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) of candidates from about eighteen schools and refused to submit them to the West African Examination Council (WAEC).

However, he was able to secure details for the candidates to sit for the exams.

The schools, including Manye Academy, were unaware until WAEC wrote to the affected schools in the municipality, noticing its failure to fulfil its obligation.

In the letter from WAEC to the Academy, dated November 14, 2023, the council threatened the school with sanctions if they failed to pay.

Part of the letter reads, ‘failure to pay will have implications regarding registration of candidates by your school for the Basic Education Certificate Examination for School Candidates, 2024′.

It is reported that the Municipal Examination Officer vacated his post at the Municipal Education Directorate after the act in late April.

The proprietor of Manye Academy, Professor Kaku Sagari Nokoe, who suspects an underhand dealing at WAEC, could not fathom how their candidates were registered successfully and allowed to write the exams when the examination body knew they had not paid their fees.

“The whole issue is complicated. How could our students have sat for the exams without paying? I am beginning to think there is illegality going on at WAEC. As I speak with you, we are patiently waiting for the results, so how come our candidates were able to write if WAEC did not receive any payment?” he said.

Professor Nokoe indicated he also finds it strange that the Municipal Director of Education did not inform the affected schools of the vacation of post of the Examination Officer, which the director claimed he was also not notified about his intention to abandon his post at the education directorate.

“We only got to know that Enoch had left the education directorate when we contacted the Municipal Education Office,” he doubted.

In an interview with the Municipal Education Director, Nathaniel Akwasi Affum, he confirmed the vacation of the post of Mr. Asiamah and admitted to not notifying the schools.

“I am not obliged to notify the schools if an employee has vacated his post. It is my superiors I have to report to,” he said.

He claimed that Enoch Asiamah collected the money of his own volition and was not sent by the education directorate.

Mr. Affum indicated that he has duly reported the matter to the Ghana Education Service (GES) and also lodged a complaint with the police to hunt down Mr. Asiamah who is said to be hiding in Accra.

In the meantime, Manye Academy has responded to WAEC’s letter asking for a grace period to make another payment.

Find below the list of the affected schools:

1. Axim Manye Academy
2. Goldfields Swanzy JHS
3. Axim Life InInternational
4. Axim Spirit of Life
5. Meek and Mild
6. Morning Star JHS
7. Rev. Father Graham JHS
8. Axim Christ the King Academy
9. Assuawua Lincoln International
10. Valley View Academy
11. Future Leaders Academy
12. End Time Restoration
13. Noble Child Edu. Complex
14. Holy Shepherd Academy
15. Calbeth Academy
16. King of Peace Sch. Complex
17. Donkoh Experimental School
18. Axim St. Augustinus JHS

Source: Rudolph Nandi, Contributor