WAEC ¢20 per paper remuneration to invigilators poor – Eduwatch

Africa Education Watch (EduWatch) has described the GH¢20 remuneration paid to invigilators per paper for overseeing examinations administered by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) as inadequate.

In a social media post sighted by Pretertiary.com, EduWatch Director, Mr Kofi Asare, said, “WAEC paying invigilators a taxable GH¢20 per paper is poor remuneration. However, poor remuneration only exposes character; more money won’t create integrity if lacking. Those with integrity still supervise without cheating.”

In its 2021 WASSCE monitoring report, Africa Education Watch (EduWatch) recommended that the Examinations Council enhance the rates paid to supervisors and invigilators for their invigilation.

“At present, WAEC pays external supervisors an amount of GH¢25 per session, with invigilators earning GH¢14. This paltry amount, which is not even enough to cover transportation costs for many supervisors and invigilators,” it said.

The education think tank stated that the current GH¢25.00 per session for an external supervisor and GH¢14.00 for invigilators, which even ends up arriving close to a year after the conduct of a paper, is a complete demotivator.

“To motivate supervisors and invigilators, WAEC must increase their fees and ensure prompt payment of the same. The current GH¢25 per session for an external supervisor and GH¢14 for invigilators is a demotivator,” EduWatch noted.

But, WAEC has indicated that supervisors’ and invigilators’ refreshment allowances can only be raised if the candidates’ examination registration fees absorbed by the central government are increased.

According to the non-profit-making organization (WAEC), the budget presently operated by the Examinations Council only provides a refreshment allowance per session for supervisors and invigilators.

A spokesperson for the Council at a press briefing said any additional allowance introduced would have to be factored into the budget, leading to an increase in the examination fees paid by candidates.

“The budget operated by WAEC only provides allowance per session for supervisors and Invigilators. Any additional allowance introduced would have to be factored into the budget, leading to an increase in the fees paid by candidates,” the WAEC official said.

Relatedly, the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has said financial incentives are driving examination malpractice among invigilators tasked to oversee the Basic Education Certificate Examination and West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

Speaking in an interview monitored by Pretertiary.com, the Head of Public Affairs at WAEC, John Kapi, said that the not-for-profit-making organization has not conducted a scientific study into the issue.

The WAEC spokesperson, however, said anonymous complaints suggest that some school authorities collect money from candidates to invigilators in exchange for illegal assistance in the examination hall.

“In some areas, we are told more is demanded for core subjects and less for electives. In other cases, students are asked to pay a token as they enter the hall,” the WAEC official said on the GTV Breakfast Show.

To curb the practice this academic year, he said the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) issued a circular to all heads of schools, cautioning them against collecting money for examination assistance.

“We asked that if indeed it’s something they are doing, they should desist. If not, we’ll have no option but to report them to the GES and, of course, to the police so that action can be taken,” the spokesman warned.