The Ministry of Education has refuted allegations of spending GH¢68.5 million on photocopying past questions for students sitting for the West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE).
It was purported that the Ministry incurred expenses of GH¢33.6 million in 2020 and over GH¢34 million in 2021 for this purpose, both through single-source procurement.
Speaking in Parliament on Monday, March 4, Education Minister Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum clarified that the government allocated these funds to photocopy past questions for senior high school (SHS) students to aid in their preparation for the WASSCE.
Dr. Adutwum explained that the past questions were procured from Messrs Kingdom Books and Stationery at a unit price of GH¢78.00 during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, aiming to support students ahead of the WASSCE.
However, in a Facebook statement, the Ministry’s Public Relations Officer, Kwasi Kwarteng, said the mentioned amounts were not solely for photocopying but for the printing, supply, and distribution of revision books. He deemed claims of spending GH¢78 on photocopying a page in the booklet as inaccurate and misleading.
Mr. Kwarteng clarified that in 2019, the funds were utilized to procure study guides from Messrs. Aki-Ola Publications Company Limited and Messrs. Kingdom Books and Stationery Company Limited. These study guides comprised past questions and answers for SHS students, with 207,000 copies procured at an estimated cost of GH¢40 each.
He added that in 2021, the Ministry engaged Messrs. Kingdom Books and Stationery Limited for the printing, supply, and distribution of 446,957 revision books for SHS at a cost of GH¢78 each. These revision books included updated editions containing WAEC past questions, Chief Examiner’s Reports, and possible answers.
Find statement below:
*Re: Clarification on Alleged GH¢68.5 million Spending on WASSCE ‘Pasco’ Photocopying*
It is crucial to note that the mentioned amounts were not for photocopying but rather for the printing, supply, and distribution of the revision books. Therefore, the claim that GH¢78 was spent on photocopying a page in the booklet is inaccurate and misleading.
In 2019, the funds were utilized to engage Messrs. Aki-Ola Publications Company Limited and Messrs. Kingdom Books and Stationery Company Limited for the supply of revision books (study guides) for Senior High Schools. The purchase included 207,000 copies of study guides for West African Senior High Schools, consisting of past questions and answers, at an estimated cost of GH¢40 each.
Additionally, 361,755 copies of study guides for SHS, comprising WAEC past papers, suggested answers, and chief examiners’ reports for core subjects, were procured from Kingdom Books and Stationery Company at a cost of GH¢75 per booklet.
Subsequently, in 2021, the Ministry engaged Messrs. Kingdom Books and Stationery Limited for the printing, supply and distribution of 446,957 revision books for SHS for ghc78 comprising of WAEC Past questions, Chief Examiner’s Reports and possible answers. 446,954 copies of updated editions of the study guides
