NPP’s James Tamakloe calls for stronger Free SHS implementation amid 2026 WASSCE irregularities

According to him, the current format of the policy has seen a decline and requires urgent attention to restore its effectiveness.

His comments follow the latest announcement by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) on sanctions imposed on thousands of candidates following investigations into cases of examination malpractice in the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination.

In an official statement issued on Friday, September 4, WAEC said the sanctions were approved at the 42nd meeting of the Ghana Examinations Committee.

The council disclosed that the results of 7,434 candidates had been cancelled in various subjects after they were found to have introduced foreign materials, including textbooks, prepared notes and printed documents, into examination halls.

The entire results of another 861 candidates were also cancelled for bringing mobile phones into examination centres.

WAEC further indicated that the subject results of 957 candidates and the entire results of 270 candidates had been withheld pending investigations into suspected examination irregularities.

Results involving candidates from 169 schools have also been withheld over suspected cases of organised collusion.

Speaking on Plan B FM’s Nkosuo programme with Kofi Sekyi, James Tamakloe urged the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, and his Deputy, Dr. Clement Apaak, to take steps to strengthen the Free SHS programme and ensure that it does not collapse.

He argued that the policy, introduced by the NPP government in 2017, has significantly expanded access to secondary education by enabling children from both wealthy and less privileged backgrounds to attend senior high school.

Mr. Tamakloe maintained that rather than allowing the policy to deteriorate, the government must address the challenges confronting its implementation and ensure that Ghanaian students continue to benefit from the programme.

He also linked the current concerns surrounding student performance and examination irregularities to the need for stronger investment in the quality of secondary education, including effective supervision and support for students and schools.

WAEC says investigations into the withheld results will continue, with final decisions on whether the affected results will be released or cancelled expected by October 30, 2026.