Cynthia Morrison Alleges Schools Charging GH¢2,500 from BECE Candidates
Cynthia Morrison, former Member of Parliament for Agona West in the Central Region, has called for a comprehensive investigation into disturbing reports emerging from the ongoing Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), following allegations that some schools are imposing unapproved financial demands on candidates.
The former Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection raised concerns that certain institutions are allegedly requiring students to pay as much as GH¢2,500 under arrangements said to cover feeding for invigilators and the sharing of funds with external supervisors. She indicated that these practices, if proven, represent a serious breach of examination ethics and raise broader questions about accountability within the system.
According to her, preliminary checks she personally conducted point to the existence of such demands in parts of the Greater Accra Region, particularly around Spintex. She further noted that similar situations are being reported in other communities, where candidates are being asked to pay varying amounts, including GH¢1,500 and GH¢2,000, under comparable justifications.
Speaking in an interview on Adom FM on May 5, 2026, Morrison cautioned that the normalisation of such practices could have lasting consequences on students, as it risks exposing them to unethical conduct at a formative stage of their academic journey.
She elaborated that information gathered from areas such as Spintex, Mamprobi, and Abeka suggests that the monies collected are reportedly used for multiple purposes, including providing meals for examination officials, maintaining the school environment, and allocating portions to external invigilators, an arrangement she finds deeply troubling.
Morrison questioned the justification for imposing such financial burdens on candidates during a critical national examination, stressing that the situation reflects a worrying trend that must not be ignored.
She also recounted an incident in which an external invigilator was reportedly unable to gain prompt access to an examination centre, only entering after activities within had already been interfered with, an occurrence that further raises concerns about the integrity of the process.
Condemning the development, she emphasised that such actions not only undermine the credibility of the examination system but also send the wrong signals to students about honesty, fairness, and responsibility.