The Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS) has called on the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to immediately reverse its planned 24.24% increase in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) registration fee.

The fee is set to rise from GHC282.35 in 2025 to GHC350.82 in 2026, a move GNAPS said threatens the educational progress of hundreds of candidates in private schools across the country

In a statement issued on Thursday, December 11, 2025, GNAPS urged WAEC to halt the hike and engage in broad consultations with stakeholders, including the association, to determine a fair and justifiable fee.

The group also called on the Ministry of Education and the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education to intervene to protect economically disadvantaged children from being excluded from Basic 9 education.

“Swift action is essential to maintain the trust and goodwill of parents, private schools, and the broader education community in the government’s commitment to affordable, accessible, and equitable education,” the statement said.

GNAPS noted that while WAEC justified last year’s fee increases by citing inflation, exchange rates, port charges, and fuel costs, national economic indicators have recently stabilised

For instance, inflation fell from 8% in October 2025 to 6.3% in November 2025, while the Cedi has remained relatively stable. GNAPS described this year’s hike as “economically indefensible” and “punitive.”

The Association also criticised WAEC for failing to consult the non-state education sector, whose candidates bear the brunt of the fee increases.

According to GNAPS, such unilateral decisions undermine principles of transparency, collaboration, and sensitivity to the socioeconomic realities faced by parents and schools.

Over the past five years, GNAPS has warned that rising BECE registration fees have increasingly hindered Junior High School completion rates, particularly in lower-income communities. The Association stressed that excessive fees risk forcing hardworking parents to withdraw their children from school.

GNAPS affirmed its commitment to protecting the educational rights of disadvantaged children and expressed readiness to engage WAEC, the Ministry of Education, and other stakeholders to reverse the planned fee increase.