Education Ministry Clears Air Alleged GH¢68.5m Spending On WASSCE ‘Pasco’ Photocopying

The Ministry of Education has vehemently denied claims of spending GH¢68.5 million on photocopying past questions for candidates of the West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE).

The Ministry of Education allegedly incurred a cost of GH¢33.6 million in 2020 and over GH¢34 million in 2021 for this purpose, both through single-source procurement.

The Minister of Education Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, disclosed on Monday, March 4, in Parliament that the government spent the money to photocopy past questions for SHS students to help them prepare adequately for the WASSCE.

According to him, the government procured the past questions from Messrs Kingdom Books and Stationery at a unit price of GH¢78.00 during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic as part of its efforts to help students ahead of the WASSCE.

However, in a Facebook post, the Public Relations Officer of the Ministry, Kwasi Kwarteng, said, “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.”

Read below Kwasi Kwarteng’s Facebook post

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.

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