A new report by the Legon Centre for Education Research and Policy (LECERP) has raised alarm over what it describes as a “silent crisis” in Ghana’s education sector, with thousands of students registering for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) but failing to show up.Ghanaian facts opinions
The research brief, titled “Registered but Missing: The Silent Crisis of WASSCE Absenteeism in Ghana,” highlights an upward trend in absenteeism between the 2020/21 and 2024/25 academic years, with significant financial and social implications for the country.
According to the report, a total of 20,197 students who registered for the WASSCE over the five-year period did not sit for the examination.
The researchers, Dr. Martin Wiredu Agyekum and Dr. Innocent Sefadzi Komla Agbelie, warn that the consistent rise signals deeper systemic challenges that could undermine gains made in access to secondary education.
Beyond the human impact, the report underscores a high financial cost to the state.
Government spending on each student, covering tuition, feeding, and examination registration, averages GH₵3,441 over the three-year senior high school cycle.
Using this estimate, LECERP calculates that Ghana lost approximately GH₵69.5 million in public funds between 2020/21 and 2024/25 due to students who registered but failed to take the exams.
The highest annual loss was recorded in the 2024/25 academic year alone, amounting to over GH₵20 million.
The report is, among other things, recommending that the “Ministry of Education should institutionalise a pre-examination risk-tracking mechanism within EMIS, requiring schools to identify and report students at risk of absenteeism (e.g., due to pregnancy, distance, climate or conflict exposure). This will enable timely, targeted interventions at the district and regional levels.”
