FUNCTIONS AND SERVICE TO PUBLIC
Since its inception, WAEC has been responsible for the conduct of most of the national and international examinations at the pre-tertiary levels in Ghana , Liberia , Nigeria , Sierra Leone and The Gambia. The national examinations are restricted to candidates of the specific country for which they are developed and they reflect local policies, needs and aspirations. The international examinations, on the other hand, are meant for candidates in all the member countries in the context of regional co-operation.

In Ghana , the West African Examination Council conducts the terminal examinations for all pupils and students at the pre-tertiary levels of education. The examinations of the Council also serve as selection tests for progression from one level to the other in the country's educational structure up to the tertiary level where the results of the Council's examinations are used for direct entry into all tertiary Institutions in Ghana .

Initially candidates in Ghana and other West African Countries received tuition and instructions based on syllabuses that had been developed along the lines of the educational structures of the United Kingdom . The WAEC was an agent for the conduct of the Ordinary Level and Advanced Level examinations of the General Certificate of Education of the University of London and the School Certificate and Higher School Certificate examinations of the Cambridge Examinations Syndicate in addition to the examinations of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA).

Over the years the Council has developed syllabuses that address the manpower requirements of its member countries and has completely taken over the conduct of examinations in collaboration with these external examining bodies.

EXAMINATIONS CONDUCTED BY THE GHANA NATIONAL OFFICE
The Ghana National Office of the Council conducts the following examinations for Public Schools on behalf of Government.

•  The Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations for both School and Private Candidates.

•  The Basic Education Certificate Examinations.

•  The Ghana Commercial Examinations made up of the General and Advanced Business Certificate Examinations.

The Council has over the years also conducted aptitude tests for selection into the following institutions under the Ministries of Health and Agriculture:

•  Community Health Nurse Selection Examinations

•  State Registered Nurses/Registered Mental Nurses Selection Examinations

•  Pupil Health Inspectors Selection Examinations

•  Medical Assistants Selection Examinations

•  Agricultural College Entry Examinations

•  Animal Health and Production College entrance Examinations

In July 2000 the Council took on the conduct of selection test for entry into Teacher Training Colleges.

MISCELLANEOUS EXAMINATIONS
The Council also conducts various examinations on behalf of foreign professional examining bodies.

VERIFICATION AND CONFIRMATION OF RESULTS
Another function performed by the Council is the verification and confirmation of results, which is handled by the Records and Aptitude Tests Department (RATD). Various organizations, Embassies and educational institutions both local and international write to the Council for the verification and confirmation of results submitted by candidates.

MAJOR OPERATIONAL PROCESSES

The core business of the Council may be broadly classified as follows:

1. Pre Examination activities
2. Conduct of Examination
3. Post Examination activities

PRE-EXAMINATION ACTIVITIES:

These include:

1. Syllabus Development and Review;
2. Test Development;
3. Floating of Examinations;
4. Receipt of Entries;
5. Allocation of Index Numbers;
6. Designation of Centres;
7. Printing and Packaging of Examination Materials;
8. Breifing of Examination Personnel;
9. Distribution of Examination Materials.

CONDUCT OF EXAMINATION
Administration of the Tests

POST-EXAMINATION ACTIVITIES.

These include:

1. Collection of Scripts from Examination Centres;
2. Co-ordination and marking of scripts;
3. Script Checking;
4. Processing of Marks;
5. Standard Fixing and Award procedures;
6. Release of results;
7. Issue of Certificates;
8. Investigations into irregularities and malpractices.