2025 WASSCE: GES Rejects Allegations of Cancelled Allowances, Counters Former Minister’s Claims
The Ghana Education Service (GES) has formally denied allegations made by the former Education Minister, Yaw Osei-Adutwum, that teacher allowances were cancelled a claim he implied contributed to the disappointing outcomes in the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). In a statement released on 1 December 2025, GES said it was necessary to correct the narrative in light of the public controversy that followed the exams.
In the statement, GES described the assertion that it had cancelled allowances as “false.” The Service explained that any delays in payments for instance, the November allowances were not due to administrative cancellation by GES itself, but rather attributable to procedural delays, which had already been clarified by the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD). GES urged stakeholders and the general public to disregard the former Minister’s comments, arguing they were an attempt to shift attention away from his own handling of the examination process during his tenure.
Beyond rejecting the allowances claims, GES defended the integrity and legitimacy of the 2025 WASSCE results. The Service emphasized that the outcomes reflect the genuine performance of candidates untainted by malpractice or manipulation. According to GES, the exams were conducted under a strengthened framework of supervision, with stringent rules, heightened invigilation and strict enforcement of examination protocols. They said these measures helped deter misconduct, leading to arrests of some students and staff who attempted to breach regulations.
According to public reporting, the 2025 WASSCE saw a decline in performance across core subjects, with notable drops in pass rates for critical areas like Mathematics and Social Studies. Nonetheless GES argues these results represent real student performance under rigorous and fair exam conditions, not the fallout of mismanagement or hampered teacher motivation. The Service maintains that the tighter supervision regime reflects a broader effort to restore trust in national examinations.
GES went a step further, urging the public to treat this year’s results as part of a determined push to reinforce transparency and accountability in Ghana’s educational assessments. The Service reiterated that the exam centres operated under strict scrutiny and that any irregularities whether cheating by students or collusion by staff would be met with swift disciplinary action.
In addition, GES reminded all stakeholders including heads of schools, teachers, parents, communities and civil society organisations of their collective role in safeguarding academic standards. The Service pledged continued collaboration with the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and other relevant bodies to further strengthen teaching, learning, and exam integrity.
With Ghana scheduled to return to the international WASSCE format in mid-2026 after operating a Ghana-only version this year, GES called on prospective candidates to intensify their preparation. It reiterated its commitment to ensuring that future exams are conducted fairly and transparently, and urged students to approach their studies with seriousness, confidence and integrity.
In conclusion, GES reaffirmed that the 2025 WASSCE results offer a credible, unaffected reflection of candidates’ academic abilities. It urged the public to ignore misleading claims about cancelled allowances, recognizing them instead as attempts to deflect criticism away from administrative lapses in exam management. According to GES, the only determinant of this year’s performance was students’ own work nothing more, nothing less.
