By: Ashiadey Dotse
Minority Leader in Parlaiment, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin has called for an urgent national conversation on Ghana’s education system, following concerns over the latest West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) outcomes.
According to the Minority Leader, the latest West African Examinations Council (WAEC) results should concern every Ghanaian, as they point to serious challenges facing the education of the country’s young people.
Mr Afenyo-Markin in a facebook post on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, said 183,233 WASSCE candidates completed Senoir Secondary School (SHS) without obtaining a credit in Core Mathematics, while the credit pass rate for English Language fell to 62.40%, its lowest level in four years.
He noted that performance in both subjects remained below the levels recorded in 2024, warning that the situation could affect the future of thousands of young Ghanaians.
The Minority Leader also raised concerns over the placement of BECE candidates into Senior High Schools.
He said 54,985 BECE candidates were initially denied automatic placement, with reports of some children being wrongly placed in special schools, while others arrived at their assigned schools only to find that there was no space for them.
Mr Afenyo-Markin questioned the situation, citing government figures which indicate that there are 859,828 vacancies for 623,072 candidates, in addition to available spaces in 85 private schools participating in the Free SHS programme.
He stressed that a self-placement portal cannot replace an actual school, saying every child deserves a seat in a functioning classroom.
He warned that more than 200,000 young Ghanaians could be at risk of being left behind at different stages of the secondary-school system.
Mr Afenyo-Markin therefore urged the government to publish the final placement outcomes and explain the rules and pass marks used in the placement process.
He also called for proper funding for teaching and remedial programmes, as well as clear pathways into technical and vocational education and training (TVET), apprenticeships and skills training for students who fail to obtain the required WASSCE credits.
The Minority Leader said the Mahama administration must treat the situation as a major national crisis requiring immediate action and long-term solutions.
He further called for discussions on educational funding, teaching quality, contact hours, teacher motivation, learning materials, infrastructure and supervision.
According to him, the issue must be addressed beyond partisan politics because the future of an entire generation is at stake.
Mr Afenyo-Markin said the New Patriotic Party, NPP government expanded access to education through the Free SHS programme and introduced Free TVET, apprenticeship and skills-development opportunities because no Ghanaian child should be denied a future because of poverty or examination results.
He said the 54,985 BECE candidates need real school places, while the 183,233 WASSCE graduates need a second chance.
“Parents are worried, children are anxious and teachers are under pressure,” he said, warning that a crisis in education poses a threat to Ghana’s future.
He called on the government to act immediately to address the concerns and prevent thousands of young people from being left behind.
