The West African Examinations Council, a non-profit-making
organization, with its head-quarters in Accra, Ghana, was
established in 1952 after the Governments of Ghana (then Gold
Coast), Nigeria, Sierra Leone and The Gambia enacted the West
African Examinations Council Ordinances in 1951. Liberia became
the fifth member of the Council in 1974.
The enactment of the Ordinances was based on the Jeffrey Report,
which strongly supported the proposal for the setting up of a
regional examining board to harmonize and standardize pre-
university assessment procedures in the then British West Africa.
The main objectives of the Council are:
To conduct examinations in the public interest
To award certificates, provided that the certificates did not
represent lower standards of attainment than equivalent
certificates of examining authorities in the United Kingdom .
Convention Establishing the Council
The Council celebrated its 30th anniversary in March 1982 in
Monrovia , Liberia during which the Convention establishing the
WAEC was signed. The Convention was subsequently ratified by
member Governments and came into force in August 1984.
The Council under the Convention was inaugurated in March 1985.
The Convention now gives uniform legal backing to the operations
of Council in all the member countries, makes provision for
significant changes in the structure of the Council and gives it legal
personality as an international body. A Headquarters Agreement
signed with the Government of Ghana in 1987 confers certain
privileges and immunities on Council's Headquarters in Ghana. To
take care of recent developments in the member countries, a
process to revise the Convention was initiated at the turn of the
century. The Revised Convention was signed in June 2003.
Structure of the Council
Part of the Council's strength is its well-developed committee
structure. WAEC's committees and Council itself are made up of
some of the best men and women in the various fields of human
endeavour in the sub-region, particularly in education. There are
about seventy committees working on various aspects of the
Council's activities at the local and international levels. These are
in addition to the over 100 subject panels that operate from time to
time to review developments in the different subject examinations.
All these ensure that the operations of the Council are meticulously
performed and they make the Council an authority on educational
issues.
Heads of National Office
1964 - 1965 Dr. Chris Modu M.Sc, Ph.D
1964 - 1966 Thomas Boatin B.A
1974 - 1982 Isaac Ayi Okine B.A (Hons), M.A. (Educ)
1982 - 1987 Dr. Badu Laryea B.Sc, Ph.D
1989 - 1989 Mr. Michael Bey B.Sc, M.Sc
1989 - 1995 Mrs. Sylvia Awo Mansa Boye B.A (Hons), HON.LLD (Ghana)
1995 - 2002 Mrs. Lydia Kpodo B.A (Hons)
2002 - 2005 Rev. J.A. Adotey B.Sc (Edu)
2005 - 2012 Mrs Patience G. A. Ayesu B. A Hons (Ed)
2012 - 2018 Rev. Sam Nii Nmai Ollennu B.Sc. (Hons) PGD (Public
Administraton), MA. (Educational Measurement and Evaluation)
2018 - Date Mrs. Wendy E. Addy-Lamptey B.Sc. (Hons) Agriculture; Dip. Ed;
PGD (Pub. Admin); M.Ed. (Meas. & Eval)
Vision: To be a world class examining body adding value to the
educational goals of its numerous stakeholders.
Mission: To remain Africa 's foremost examining body providing
qualitative and reliable educational assessment, encouraging
academic and moral excellence and promoting sustainable human
resource development and international co-operation.
Core Values
Integrity
Professionalism
Accountability
Transparency
Team work
Innovativeness
credit: Chrispine Osei
