Vice President of IMANI Africa, Bright Simons seems to have supported the assertion made by former President John Dramani Mahama regarding an increase in examination malpractices in the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) under the current government.
The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer, Mahama, faced criticism, particularly from supporters of the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government, after expressing concerns about the credibility of the 2023 WASSCE results. His concerns stemmed from the significant number of passes recorded.
Mahama raised issues related to lax invigilation and teacher involvement in student cheating, warning about potential consequences for the country’s educational system. The comments received attention and were met with criticism from some quarters of the public.
“In many places, they let the children cheat. You go to places, and the teachers are conniving with the students to cheat. The effect will be seen later,” Mahama said.
On whether exam cheating is worsening in Ghana, why aren't education stakeholders simply plotting the trends like they do in Nigeria (see attached)? We know that cancellations for malpractice in Ghana have increased from 0.13% of results in 2014 to 0.81% in 2023 (600% increase). pic.twitter.com/QenReckPiK
Bright Simons has presented data to support the claim that examination malpractice has risen under the current administration.
In a post on X dated January 4, 2024, Simons shared statistics indicating an increase in the percentage of cancelled West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) papers during the current government’s tenure.
According to the figures provided, less than 0.2% of WASSCE papers were cancelled in 2014. However, in 2023, over 0.8% of WASSCE papers were cancelled.
Simons highlighted that this represents approximately a 600% increase in paper cancellations attributed to cheating during WASSCE examinations.
“On whether exam cheating is worsening in Ghana, why aren’t education stakeholders simply plotting the trends like they do in Nigeria (see attached)?
Deputy Director of the Institute for Education Studies (IFEST), Patrick Apea-Danquah, has called for substantiation of former President John Dramani Mahama’s remarks casting doubt on the credibility of the 2023 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results.
Challenging the Education Minister, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum‘s assertion that the current year’s WASSCE results mark the best performance since 2015, former President Mahama disputes the claim, citing concerns over purportedly lenient invigilation and teacher assistance.
Speaking in an interview, Mr Apeah-Danquah asserted the need for John Mahama to back his claims with evidence.
“What the former president said might be quite unfortunate, but if he has any evidence to prove that, then we can have a discussion. You can’t just say that a lot of students passed and, as a result, it is not appropriate, or it doesn’t reflect the true performance. We know the free SHS has its issues, but if you make such an allegation, you should back it with evidence, so if he has got a piece of evidence, I think that should come up. But if he hasn’t, then we have to move on,” he said.
During his country tour, Mr. Mahama discredited the examination results, pointing to malpractices and students conniving with teachers to cheat.
The President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Angel Carbonu, has also challenged Mr. Mahama to provide evidence.
“The information the former President has will help all of us to resolve the matter,” he said on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme.
During his country tour, Mr. Mahama discredited the examination results, pointing to malpractices and students conniving with teachers to cheat.
In response to the former president, the NPP Deputy Youth Organizer, Sandra Sarkodee-Addo, criticized Mr. Mahama for failing to appreciate the achievements of the candidates.
She urged the former president, “To credit the Ghanaian youth with some considerable amount of intelligence when given the platform to speak. He is at least a former president and a considered statesman, and must live with respect to his office. In 2024, John Mahama must be a changed man, devoid of antics in attempt to trick Ghanaians into believing he has anything new to offer the country.”
The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, in a Facebook post, also responded to the issue and offered words of encouragement to students, particularly the 2023 WASSCE candidates, urging them not to let anyone diminish their achievements.
In his post, Dr. Bawumia emphasized that not everyone comprehends the challenges faced by intelligent students, praising their accomplishments as a result of hard work.
President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Angel Carbonu, has refuted former President John Mahama’s recent allegations of widespread cheating among senior high school graduates.
Mr Carbonu emphasized the uniqueness of each examination, stating that “no two examinations can be the same.”
He alleged instances of invigilators and teachers aiding students in cheating, cautioning about potential consequences for the country’s educational system.
In response, Carbonu challenged Mahama to provide statistical evidence supporting his claims, suggesting that there might be information not known to the public.
“The information the former President has will help all of us to resolve the matter,” he added.
Angel Carbonu clarified that it is incorrect to make sweeping statements about teachers’ performance, stating that not every teacher engages in cheating.
While acknowledging that there have been instances where a few teachers were implicated in cheating, he emphasized that this does not reflect the broader teaching community.
The NAGRAT President urged politicians to refrain from meddling in the country’s education system and instead focus on addressing the challenges confronting teachers.
“We beg you politicians, stop playing political football with our exams. Let us maintain our standards. Every examination is different every year” he stated.
The Ministry of Education has criticized former President John Dramani Mahama for his recent remarks concerning the 2023 WASSCE results.
The NDC Presidential candidate had cast doubt on the authenticity of the results, alleging that some invigilators were lenient, allowing teachers to assist students in answering questions.
In response to these claims, the Ministry of Education asserted that the disparaging remarks were a deliberate effort to undermine the significant progress achieved by the ministry in enhancing learning outcomes in the country.
According to a press statement seen by JoyNews, the MoE highlighted substantial advancements in core subjects, citing an increase in the average score from 40.93 percent (A1 – C6) in 2015 to an impressive 69.73 percent (A1 – C6) in 2023.
Furthermore, the MoE emphasized that Ghana had achieved its highest-ever 8A1s in both 2020 and 2023, contributing 411 out of the 465 8A1s recorded across West Africa in the latter year.
The ministry denounced the former President’s assertion as a false representation of the facts, aiming to unfairly tarnish “the integrity of the vast majority of our hard-working teachers and students.”
Calling on all well-meaning Ghanaians to condemn the former President’s statement, the Ministry affirmed its dedication to maintaining the highest quality of education in the country.
“The Ministry reiterates our commitment that the quality of education and examinations at all levels, including the WASSCE, will not be compromised,” the statement concluded.
Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has celebrated the exceptional performance of Ghanaian Senior High School (SHS) students in the 2023 West Africa Senior Secondary Certificate Exams (WASSCE), describing their cumulative results as the best.
He extended commendation to students from various schools, including those from lesser-known institutions, who achieved impressive aggregate scores.
In a Thursday Facebook post, Dr. Bawumia expresses appreciation for the hard work and dedication of the students and their teachers, acknowledging that their outstanding performance is a testament to their commitment.
He emphasized that their achievements have made Ghana proud and extends his best wishes as they face future challenges.
It’s noteworthy that Dr. Bawumia’s message sharply contrasts with former President John Mahama’s perspective during his campaign tour.
Mahama suggested that the students’ success was a result of collusion between teachers and students to cheat.
Vice President, Mahamudu Bawumia has offered words of encouragement to students, particularly the 2023 WASSCE candidates, urging them not to let anyone denigrate their achievements.
Responding to former President John Mahama’s campaign message accusing the government and teachers of allowing students to cheat during exams, Dr. Bawumia emphasized the intelligence and hard work of the students, stating, “Not everyone can appreciate what it takes to be an intelligent student.”
In a Thursday morning Facebook post, Dr. Bawumia acknowledged the students’ excellent performances, attributing their success to hard work.
“You have earned the excellent performances by dint of hard work. God bless you,” Dr Bawumia posted.
“Congratulations to all WASSCE students, their teachers as well as their parents for the excellent performance attained by the students in this year’s [2023] WASSCE.”
“This is no doubt the result of hard work and dedication by all of you. You have made Ghana proud and I wish you the very best as you move on to greater challenges,” Dr Bawumia wrote.
He congratulated all WASSCE students, teachers, and parents for the outstanding results and expressed pride in their dedication.
Dr. Bawumia wished the students the very best as they face greater challenges in the future.
Former President Mahama, in response to the 2023 WASSCE results, raised concerns about the lack of textbooks in the education system and criticized the government’s handling of the curriculum.
Despite the data showing the best results in the last five years, Mahama expressed doubt and claimed that invigilators allowed students to cheat in many places during exams.
He warned of potential consequences when students use their certificates abroad, stating that it could affect the nation.
Mahama pledged that if he wins the 2024 election, his government would work with teachers to re-order the system for proper administration.
Asare contends that the involvement of teachers and individuals employed by the GES in the examination process contributes to various challenges, including malpractices such as cheating.
Speaking on Joy FM’s midday news, he pointed out that using the same teachers who instructed the students to oversee the examinations creates opportunities for collusion and undermines efforts by the Ministry of Education to address malpractices.
He said, “I know a teacher who was caught on video during one of our documentaries dictating answers to a Management in Living question in a particular school in Bono. That teacher was then a Management in Living teacher. As we speak, he is an assistant master in another school.”
“So when we hear of instances where some teachers collect money from students, solve questions for them, put them on WhatsApp platforms, and then they copy in the exam hall, and the same teachers are invigilators, and some of them are supervisors in the same exam hall, you must understand that it is possible because WAEC is only present in about 20% of the centres at a particular time.”
Mr. Asare proposed that to achieve true independence and mitigate malpractices, WAEC should adopt measures aligned with international best practices.
He suggested one approach could be for WAEC to engage third-party entities that have no vested interest in the examination outcomes. This, he believes, would contribute to a more impartial and secure examination environment.
“The reason is that it prevents the possibility of conflict of interest and also reduces the corruption risk associated with teachers being involved in examining students that they taught, because the result of the students, more or less, is a litmus of the performance of the teachers,” he explained.
Additionally, Mr. Asare called for the dismissal of teachers who are found to be involved in examination malpractices, including assisting students in cheating.
“Under the current regime, they are not dismissed. The Code of Conduct for Teachers categorizes it as an offence, but it is not an outright dismissal. The GES must elevate their sanctions in the Code of Conduct for teachers who collude or participate in the examination fraud.”
“Then it becomes a very, very high-risk business. Until then, the problem we have on our hands will remain until we change the system which WAEC deploys,” he added.
Last week, the Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, declared that this year’s examination results are the best since 2015. However, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer, John Mahama, raised doubts about the authenticity of the recent results.
Mahama argued that the credibility of the results is compromised, pointing out instances where invigilators are lax on the job and teachers are allegedly aiding students in answering questions.
“In many places, they let the children cheat. You go to places and the teachers are conniving with the students to cheat. The effect will be seen later,” Mr. Mahama said.
The former President, who is on the “Building Ghana Tour”, believes the development will have dire consequences on the country’s educational system in future.
“You certify these children saying they are of this standard either the BECE or SSCE, and that child will use that certificate, go abroad to a school and they will find out that your qualification is not up to the standard you say it is”.
The Minority Spokesperson on Education, Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, has highlighted that the Ghanaian government’s indebtedness to the West African Examination Council (WAEC) is adversely affecting the organization’s operations.
Despite releasing both the BECE and WASSCE results, WAEC has reportedly not paid invigilators, examiners, and other service providers.
Nortsu-Kotoe, speaking in Parliament, revealed that funds had been released by the Finance Ministry to the Education Ministry to settle the debt, and he urged the Education Ministry to promptly clear the outstanding amount after the approval of GH₵29.5 billion for the Ministry’s 2024 expenditure.
“But interestingly, the Ministry of Finance indicated that they do not owe WAEC. That the sum of GH₵129,839,720 WAEC said they owe, the ministry of Finance said they did not owe that and that per their records they have released all monies to the Ministry of Education.
“So the committee has directed that the Minister for Finance or his representative, the Minister for Education and WAEC should meet the committee to resolve the matter. The one who represented the Ministry of Finance at the meeting indicated that for the WASCCE, they made it part of the amount released for the free SHS so on record they do not owe WAEC any sums of money.
“So we need to meet the Minister of Education, the Minister for Finance and WAEC to resolve the problem immediately,” he said.
Peter Nortsu-Kotoe further disclosed that Education Minister Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum confirmed to the Education Committee of Parliament that a piece of land designated for building an office for UNESCO in Accra had been sold to a private developer.
“We also realised that UNESCO, that is, United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation is one agency under the Ministry of Education and they’re housed in an obscure corner in the Ministry of Education.
“But unfortunately, the piece of land allocated for their office long time ago, Mr. Speaker, I made it known here the other time when we were debating the budget that the land had been sold. The Deputy Minister for Land and Natural Resources vehemently denied it.
“But at the meeting to discuss the budget we were told by the Minister of Education or he confirmed that the land had been sold and to a private individual, and he’s taking steps to retrieve the land for the Ministry of Education so that UNESCO can make use of that land,” he said.
The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has issued a reminder to potential students, notifying them that the online application portal for the academic year 2023/2024 will close on Friday, December 22, 2023.
In light of the recent release of the 2023 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results, all applicants are strongly encouraged to access the KNUST application portal and meticulously review their submitted information.
Applicants are urged to pay special attention to the accuracy of details such as their full name, date of birth, and examination records.
The KNUST Academic Affairs Division has reiterated that applications for the 2023/2024 admissions remain open.
Individuals interested in applying can obtain e-vouchers through one of the following methods:
– At designated Ghana Post Offices
-By dialing 447160# on any mobile network and following the prompts
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has shed light on how it identified instances of candidates relying on Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms during the 2023 West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE).
In the release of provisional results, WAEC stated that some candidates engaged in malpractices, leading to result cancellations and withholdings. WAEC says that subject results from 235 schools are under scrutiny due to candidates employing answers generated by artificial intelligence.
According to WAEC, the results of candidates from 235 schools were withheld due to the use of AI-generated answers.
The Head of Public Affairs at WAEC, Mr. John Kapi, explained in an interview on Eyewitness News on Citi FM that they discovered some candidates copied incorrect answers provided by the AI platforms.
He said, “One candidate typed in the question, and the response was that ‘I’m not familiar with the term you have used,’ and the candidate wrote the same response in the answer booklet. Another candidate wrote, ‘I cannot detect the term you have used.’ This is a clear indication of the use of AI.”
Mr. Kapi highlighted the evolving challenge of cheating methods, noting that candidates used to bring in mobile phones, take snapshots, send them for solutions, or sneak in with pre-solved answer sheets.
The rise of AI as a method of cheating presents a novel and substantial challenge.
The WAEC spokesperson highlighted intentions for collaboration with the Ghana Education Service (GES) to ensure rigorous enforcement of rules concerning mobile phone usage in secondary schools.
Concerning the inquiry into the use of mobile phones, AI, or intercepted questions, Mr. Kapi stated that investigations into the matter are underway.
“We’ve monitored all the rogue websites that were publishing the questions we had put out there. Our investigations and some reports that were received from national security indicated that all the questions that were found online were put out there after the commencement of the examination. The suspicion is that these questions were out there after the supervisors or invigilators or even candidates had taken snapshots and put them out there seeking assistance,” he stated.
Mr. Kapi emphasized the significance of candidates engaging in independent work and relying on individual efforts for certification.
Those suspected of using AI are anticipated to be invited for a fair hearing as part of the investigation process.
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has provided clarification regarding the withholding of certain results from the 2023 West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE).
In an announcement on Monday, December 18, WAEC stated that subject results from 235 schools are under scrutiny due to candidates employing answers generated by artificial intelligence.
In addition to this, subject results for 4,280 candidates and the entire results for 1,005 candidates are being withheld due to suspected offenses.
The examination body has annulled the subject results of 3,647 candidates who introduced foreign materials, such as prepared notes, textbooks, and printed materials, into the examination halls.
Furthermore, the results of 839 candidates have been invalidated for possessing mobile phones during the examinations.
Decisions approved during the 35th meeting of the Ghana Examinations Committee on Wednesday, December 13, 2023, include:
Cancellation of Subject Results for 3,647 candidates who brought foreign materials into the examination halls.
Cancellation of Entire Results for 839 candidates caught with mobile phones in the examination halls.
Withholding of Subject Results for 4,280 candidates and Entire Results for 1,005 candidates for various suspected offenses, including collusion and the use of AI-generated answers.
WAEC has also taken measures against 4,878 candidates by blocking their results for failing to return learning support materials provided by their respective schools. Candidates affected by this action are advised to contact their schools for further guidance.
Check below for full details:
Read the statement by WAEC below
RELEASE OF PROVISIONAL RESULTS FOR THE WEST AFRICAN SENIOR SCHOOL CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION (WASSCE FOR SCHOOL CANDIDATES, 2023
The West African Examinations Council wishes to inform its numerous stakeholders that it has released provisional results of candidates who sat for the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2023 (Ghana Only Version). The Council will make available login details to heads of school to enable them access the results of their candidates.
The results have been hosted online and candidates who so desire may access their results at the Council’s website www.waecgh.org.
The results of 4,878 candidates have been blocked for failing to return learning support materials supplied to them by their schools. Such candidates are to contact their schools.
The Council would like to caution all its stakeholders to be wary of fraudsters who promise to upgrade results for a fee. Candidates are to note that WAEC results are secured and can be authenticated using its results verification system. The WAEC QR code can be downloaded and used to verify results.
PERFORMANCE STATISTICS A total number of 448,674 candidates made up of 212,453 males and 236,221 females from 975 schools entered for the examination. This figure is 5.8% higher than the 2022 entry figure of 422,883. A total number of 3,404 (0.75%) were absent from the examination.
The performance of candidates with respect to the four Core Subjects is shown in the tables below.
The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has cancelled the entire results of 839 West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) candidates for possessing mobile phones during the examination.
WAEC made this known after announcing the release of the provisional results for this year’s exams.
WAEC also reported the cancellation of subject results for 3,647 candidates due to the offense of “bringing foreign materials into the examination hall.”
Furthermore, the subject results of 4,280 candidates and the entire results of 1,005 have been withheld for various suspected offenses.
Results from candidates in 235 schools are also under scrutiny for collusion and the use of artificially generated answers through artificial intelligence.
According to WAEC, these cases are currently under investigation, and the release or cancellation of the withheld results will depend on the investigation outcomes.
Candidates can access their results online by visiting www.waecgh.org, as announced in a statement signed by the Head of Public Affairs, John Kapi.
The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has released the results of 21,458 out of 22,270 candidates whose results were initially withheld due to mass cheating.
These candidates can check their placement starting from Monday, December 11, 2023.
However, the results of the remaining 812 candidates are still withheld.
The Public Relations Officer for the Ghana Education Service, Cassandra Twum Ampofo, explained that the cleared results have been processed, and candidates can now access their placements.
She stated, ‘’We have 21,458 thousand released and we have worked on them. So, by Monday if they check on the portal, they will see their placement. Initially all those candidates could not access their placement but now they can. Now we have 812 candidates whose results are yet to be released and we will work on that.”
In November, WAEC canceled the Subject Results of 312 school candidates and 3 private candidates due to reported cases of using foreign materials like prepared notes and textbooks during the examination.
The decision followed investigations into irregularities detected during the examination and marking of scripts.
WAEC disclosed that the 34th Meeting of the Final Awards and Examiners’ Appointment Committee for BECE, held on Monday, 6th November 2023, approved the cancellation of “the Entire Results of 41 school candidates and 1 private candidate for possession of mobile phones in the examination hall.”
Additionally, they withheld the “Subject Results of 180 school candidates and 4 private candidates for various suspected offences as well as the Entire Results of 110 school candidates and 2 private candidates for various suspected offences.”
The examination body is scrutinizing the scripts of 22,270 candidates in certain subjects for reported cases of mass cheating, with the possibility of canceling or releasing their results based on the outcome of investigations.
Four students of Ofori Panin Senior High School (OPASS), have been allocated police escorts because of their alleged involvement in a variety of criminal activities, including robbery, are writing the West Africa Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) this year.
63 additional applicants are escorted by their parents or legal guardians.
Among these candidates receiving police protection, one is currently on remand and is taking the exams from the Akyem Tafo Police cells. This arrangement stems from a prior incident in July this year when a deboardinized student, Kelvin Bonzy, who had been granted bail by the police for robbery, was fatally attacked by a mob in Koforidua while attempting to rob a female student from Koforidua Technical University (KTU).
The remaining 63 students who arrived with their parents or guardians are believed to have engaged in various forms of misconduct on campus prior to the final examination.
To distinguish these 67 candidates who have been listed for various forms of misconduct, they are required to wear an all-white uniform to school. This decision aligns with the directive issued by the Ghana Education Service (GES) aimed at addressing spontaneous indiscipline among final year students after registering for the WASSCE. The directive empowers school management to deboardinize students found guilty of gross misconduct, while those involved in criminal activities are to be handed over to the police.
In a separate incident at the Ofori Panin Senior High School examination center, during the English Language paper, a candidate was partially undressed by an official for wearing attire that did not comply with the prescribed dress code. The student had worn a white top and brown khaki shorts instead of the required all-white attire, resulting in the official removing the shorts, leaving the candidate in boxer shorts to continue the examination.
These incidents highlight reports of maltreatment and intimidation of candidates at the examination center, raising concerns about the treatment of students during the examination process.
Some West Africa Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) candidates at Ofori Panin Senior High School (OPASS) are reportedly writing the exams under strict conditions due to their involvement in criminal activities and misconduct.
Four candidates are undergoing this year’s West Africa Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) under the watchful eye of police escorts, while a staggering 63 others are accompanied by their parents.
The 4 candidates under police guard have been allegedly entangled in a web of criminal activities, including instances of robbery. Notably, one of these examinees is currently on remand and is taking the exams from the confines of the Akyem Tafo Police cells.
According to a GhanaWeb report, one of them, Kelvin Bonzy, who was granted bail by the police for robbery, was stabbed to death by a mob in Koforidua when he attempted to rob a female student of Koforidua Technical University (KTU) in July this year.
The remaining 63 students who arrived with their parents or guardians have reportedly been involved in various acts of misconduct on the school premises leading up to the final examinations.
In an effort to address the concerning rise in indiscipline among final year students after registering for WASSCE, school management has instituted a policy where students found guilty of grave misconduct can be deboardinized, while those engaging in criminal activities will be handed over to the police.
In adherence to the directive issued by the Ghana Education Service (GES), the school has mandated that all 67 candidates associated with these misdemeanors wear an all-white uniform, setting them apart from their peers during this examination period.
Meanwhile, in an incident that has sparked outrage, a WASSCE candidate at the Ofori Panin Senior High School examination centre was subjected to humiliation as an invigilator forcefully stripped him half-naked for wearing attire that did not conform to the prescribed dress code.
This event unfolded during an English Language paper when the student arrived wearing a white top and brown khaki shorts instead of the mandated all-white attire. The invigilator’s actions have drawn attention to the alleged maltreatment and intimidation faced by candidates at the examination centre.
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has expressed its concern regarding the high number of malpractices detected in the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
This sub-regional examination scheme in Ghana has, over the years, faced numerous irregularities, including the smuggling of electronic devices into examination halls, paper leaks, and script impersonation, among other issues.
During a press briefing on the conduct of the 2023 WASSCE for school candidates, John K. Kapi, the head of public affairs for WAEC, revealed that the individuals responsible for these malpractices have been apprehended and will soon face legal proceedings.
“It is sad to note that some of the schools have devised grand schemes for cheating at their examination centres. Information reaching us indicates that some of the schools charge their candidates ranging between GH¢500 and GH¢1000 each to enable them to get assistance during the examination and this practice has given some of the students a certain sense of entitlement, and they want to be allowed their way.”
“Proprietors of some schools have shown open hostility towards our monitoring teams prompting us to call for support from the Ghana Police Service to ensure their safety. And some persons have been arrested for attempting to bribe our personnel to look the other way so that the cheating can go on.”
Education officials in Sekyere Afram Plains, Ashanti Region are depending on drones to distribute examination papers to students taking this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
This is as a result of the challenges facing the West African Examination Council (WAEC) in delivering materials to students in the Sekyere Afram Plains area after the Sene River overflowed its banks, education authorities have turned to drones as a solution.
The Director of Education for the Sekyere Afram Plains District, Prince Owusu Ansah, has revealed that drones will be utilized throughout the duration of the examination.
“We will be conducting the exams throughout the week, with the drones facilitating the delivery of questions to the candidates. These questions will be securely housed at the Anyinam police station. Once the exams conclude on Friday, we are hopeful that the road conditions will have improved, the water levels would have receded, allowing us to transport all the answer scripts by road to the depot at Mampong,” stated Mr. Ansah.
Across the nation, a total of over 600,000 students are participating in the week-long Basic Education Certificate Examination. Among them, there are 300,323 males and 300,391 females from 18,993 schools nationwide.
This year’s cohort of candidates marks the final group to undertake the Basic Education Certificate Examination, which has been a part of the educational landscape for over three decades.
The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has announced that it will be serialising certain questions in the 2023 West African Senior High School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) to combat exam malpractices.
The council believes that this measure will help maintain the integrity of the exam.
Under the serialisation process, candidates in the same exam hall will receive the same question, but with different question numbers.
The subjects selected for serialisation are those considered to be high stake and crucial, as they are less prone to compromise.
John Kapi, Head of Public Affairs at the Council, emphasized that the structure of the questions remains unchanged, and serialisation is part of their trade secret to ensure fairness and security.
He clarified that this move is not meant to unduly punish anyone but rather safeguard the integrity of the exam.
“Serialisation is not anything that is landing from space. Besides nothing has changed about the structure of the questions. It is just that we have serialised some of them. It is our trade secret, and we want to maintain that. We are not unduly punishing anybody, it is the same question just that there is some serialisation. There are some of these papers that are high stake and so for those high stake papers we would want to serialise them.”
“Secondly it is a very expensive venture to get into, it is time-consuming and all of that. And so we concentrate more on the high stake papers and then there are a few of them that we consider as low risk, and so we don’t serialise those ones,” he said.
Due to the cost and time-consuming nature of the process, WAEC will focus on serialising high stake papers while considering some subjects as low risk, and therefore not requiring serialisation.
In total, 447,204 candidates from 975 schools are expected to sit for this year’s WASSCE.
The court hearing the case of the Adisadel College’s assault has decided to adjourn the case until the accused completes his West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
The accused has denied assault charges levelled against him in the viral video case of assaulting a fellow student.
Despite being on bail, the accused faces a challenge due to impending WASSCE examinations.
During the proceedings, parents of the involved teenagers and the public attended, but the sensitivity of the case led to it being conducted in the judge’s chamber.
His Lordship Eric Oheneba Antwi Boasiako, the presiding judge, adjourned the case to September 27, 2023, allowing the students to complete their final exams without interference.
The incident, which occurred on June 30, 2023, involved one student strangling and hitting another student’s head on a metal bed, as shown in the viral video. The fight reportedly started over a sim card.
The Housemaster of Quaque House have been suspended, and the students involved have also been suspended following the incident.
After a visit by the Deputy Minister for Education, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, a psychologist was assigned to the students.
The government has allocated GH¢50.5 million to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) for the smooth execution of the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
Of this amount, GH¢40 million is dedicated to the successful conduct of WASSCE, covering approximately 30 percent of the total expenses required for the exams.
Additionally, GH¢10.5 million has been set aside for the BECE, which represents almost 15 percent of the necessary funds for its smooth administration.
In response to concerns about exam security, WAEC has taken several measures. They have increased the number of depots for exam papers, reducing the distance from these depots to the examination centers (schools).
Moreover, question papers will not be released until 45 minutes before the start of the examinations, minimizing the chances of leaks.
WAEC has also made improvements to the depots to ensure they are secure and cannot be accessed illegally. All depots must have concrete structures or metal-grade ceilings to fortify them against unauthorized entry.
The WASSCE began with Visual Arts practicals, while the BECE for both school and private candidates will take place from August 7 to 11. Subsequently, the General Business Certificate Examination and Advanced Business Certificate Examination will start from August 21.
To ensure credibility and reduce malpractice, all examination officials will undergo comprehensive briefings throughout the country.
WAEC has also conducted sensitization programs in various schools to educate students on exam preparation and what is expected of them during the exams.
The Head of National Office (HNO) of WAEC, Wendy Addy-Lamptey, emphasized that credible examinations are a collective responsibility, and all stakeholders, including headteachers, GES officials, depot keepers, and security agencies, must play their part in ensuring fair and credible exams.
To enhance monitoring, WAEC will engage monitoring agents who have received training to complement their own staff in effectively covering all examination centers.
“This time around, we do not accept depots with ceilings. All depots must have either concrete or if they don’t have concrete, then we will do a metal grade on the ceiling to fortify them so that nobody can enter through the ceiling.
“Again, we are not going to move our question papers in bulk to the depots; they would be moved in bits so that at any time, the question papers that are needed for a particular week or few days would be the only papers that are at the depots,” Mrs Addy-Lamptey explained.
Schools that have been involved in institutional cheating have been cautioned and, where necessary, faced sanctions to serve as a deterrent to others considering engaging in syndicate cheating.
The HNO warned candidates and the public about rogue websites and WhatsApp platforms that claim to provide WAEC confirmed topics. These are fraudulent websites, and candidates are advised not to download any material or share their telephone numbers on such platforms.
WAEC is taking the necessary steps to ensure the smooth and credible conduct of the examinations and seeks the cooperation of all stakeholders in this endeavor.
The Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Builsa South constituency, Clement Apaak, has urged the government to promptly settle the outstanding dues owed to the West African Senior School Certificate Examination(WAEC).
This payment is essential to ensure the smooth and successful conduct of this year’s West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
The Minority in Parliament had previously issued a warning, stating that the timely organization of the 2023 WASSCE and BECE is in jeopardy unless the government clears all debts owed to WAEC.
The Minority Spokesperson on Education, Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, has expressed concern that WAEC requires over GH₵50 million urgently to fulfill its financial obligations and conduct the examinations without any hitches.
In an interview with the media, Mr. Apaak stressed that the government must allocate the necessary resources to settle its debts with WAEC.
“Government ought to be able to find the resources to defray its indebtedness to WAEC so that WAEC and the people WAEC recruits to help execute this very important national exercise which has to do with the future of this nation clearly does not become jeopardised,” he added.
This step is crucial to ensure that WAEC can carry out its vital national duty without any disruptions.
The success of these exams is pivotal to the future of the nation, and it is imperative that the government prioritizes institutions like WAEC and other critical agencies involved in human resources to avoid unnecessary challenges and difficulties faced by the country.
Government has paid GH¢55 million in arrears owed to WAEC. This payment was confirmed in an interview with Citi FM on July 27, 2023, according to the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC), Winifred Ampiaw.
The received funds, which amount to GH¢10.5 million for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and GH¢40 million for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), will be used to facilitate the organization of both exams this year.
The total budget allocated for the BECE and WASSCE for this year is approximately GH¢18 million and GH¢63.5 million, respectively, leaving around GH¢7.5 million in remaining funds after the received payment.
Ms. Ampiaw assured the public that the amount received from the government is sufficient to successfully carry out both exams. WAEC has already put necessary resources in place for the smooth execution of these examinations as planned.
“I can say that we have received some amount of money that will enable us to conduct the exams, for both WASSCE and BECE.
“However, there’s a payment plan to pay the rest. So far we have received GH¢10.5 million to be able to conduct BECE, and for WASSCE, we have received GH¢40 million.
“This amount will enable us to take care of the pre-exams activities and the conduct of the exams itself. We’ve received GH¢55 million in total, I know for a fact that we have received the money”.
“The payment is for this year’s exams, we are supposed to spend a rough estimate of GH¢18 million for BECE.
“For WASSCE, the total cost for just the pre and the conduct of the main will take us to GH¢63.5 million. We are left with about GH¢7.5 million.
“However, I want to assure the public that yes, we are in the position to conduct both exams for this year,” she stressed.
The Minority in Parliament has issued a warning regarding the 2023 WASSCE and BECE examinations, expressing concerns that these exams could face setbacks if the government does not settle its arrears owed to the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC).
During a media briefing in Parliament, Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, the Minority Spokesperson on Education, stated that WAEC requires approximately GH₵50 million to clear its outstanding debts. He pointed out that in the previous year, the government managed to pay only GH₵50 million out of the GH₵83 million owed to WAEC, which was meant to address the arrears for the 2020/2021 period.
“Now the examinations are about to start again or they have even started with the orals and practicals and the WAEC is not having money to pay for last year’s services. If care is not taken, the persons or the teachers who gave us the service may not be ready to provide services again as supervisors and invigilators.”
But responding to the Minority’s claims, Deputy Education Minister, Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, affirmed that the government is actively working to fulfill the outstanding financial requirements to support WAEC in conducting the exams without any disruptions.
The Minority in Parliament has issued a warning that the smooth conduct of the 2023 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) is at risk unless the government promptly clears all outstanding debts owed to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
Minority Spokesperson on Education, Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, expressed concern that WAEC urgently requires over GH₵50 million to settle its financial obligations and ensure the seamless organization of the 2023 examinations.
He highlighted the current challenges faced by WAEC, citing the government’s failure to release funds for compensating individuals who provided their services during the 2022 WASSCE, including allowances owed to supervisors, invigilators, examiners, and other personnel involved in the examination process.
Due to the government’s inability to release funds to WAEC for last year’s services, there is a risk that teachers and personnel may not be willing to provide services again as supervisors and invigilators for the upcoming exams.
The Minority emphasized the need for prompt payment to WAEC and pointed out that in another member country, the entire budget of WAEC is released by the end of the first quarter for national and international examinations.
For now, WAEC needs about GH₵50 million to clear the previous year’s arrears, including payments to those involved in printing scripts and booklets for the exams.
Failure to settle these debts could potentially disrupt the smooth conduct of the 2023 exams.
“The challenge for WAEC now is the government’s inability to release funds to them to perform their functions. Those who worked for WAEC last year, 2022, in the conduct of the WASSCE have not been paid the allowances due to the supervisors, the invigilators, the examiners, and all other persons. So, WAEC is unable to raise funds to meet its obligations,” he said.
“Now the examinations are about to start again or they have even started with the orals and practicals and the WAEC is not having money to pay for last year’s services. So we don’t know what the government is doing and if care is not taken, the persons or the teachers who gave us the service may not be ready to provide services again as supervisors and invigilators.”
“I know of a country, a member country, that by the end of the first quarter, all the budget of WAEC is released to them for national and international examinations. Why can’t we do the same in Ghana?”
“This is the challenge WAEC is facing and if we don’t help them to get what is due them, I don’t know how the exams for this year will be conducted. For now, they need about GH₵50 million to clear the previous year’s arrears. Those who print their scripts for them, those who print booklets, they owe all of them. So if you don’t pay, how will they provide those materials for you?”
Koforidua police have begun a probe into the death of Bonzie Kelvin, a final-year student at Ofori Panin Senior High School (OPASS).
Kelvin, 19, was discovered with multiple knife wounds and in critical condition. He was rushed to Effiduase St. Joseph Hospital but unfortunately passed away on July 13, 2023.
Kelvin had obtained permission to attend his sister’s wedding before returning to prepare for the upcoming West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
The cause of his death remains unknown, meanwhile, the Adweso Command personnel have initiated an investigation to apprehend the suspects.
Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum has lashed out at critics of the Free Senior High School (SHS) programme.
Despite the unfavourable criticism, the Minister stated that the policy’s growth of enrollment has not jeopardised student learning outcomes.
He stated that the 2022 West African Senior Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results demonstrate the government’s commitment to reforming the country’s education sector.
Dr. Adutwum remarked that the approach has yielded various outcomes during the opening of the 60th anniversary of Kumasi High School in the Ashanti Region.
One key accomplishment he highlighted was that the strategy increased enrolment and enhanced learning results.
“For all those who thought increasing enrolment at the high schools would diminish learning outcomes, I have news for you: increasing enrolment did not diminish learning outcomes, and if you doubt it, look at Kumasi High School.
“Go and look at the WAEC results, and it will tell you that we had the best learning outcomes in this country last year. In the last eight years, the best results were the 2022 results, but I don’t blame people who make that conjecture that things are bad because, around the world, countries that have increased enrollment always suffer.”
According to him, the government is committed to striking a balance between access and quality to ensure that Ghanaian students obtain a solid education that prepares them for the future.
Registrar of the National Teaching Council (NTC), Dr. Christian Addai-Poku, has stated that the council is actively working on revising the entry requirements for colleges of education nationwide.
According to him, NTC has approached the Ministry of Education and Parliament to begin discussions into the matter.
He explained that some actions needed to be taken to tackle the issue of students transitioning from Senior High Schools into the tertiary institutions without genuine grades.
The registrar said some private senior high schools use foul means to pass their students into higher educational institutions.
This, he said also accounted for the poor performances in the recent teacher licensureexams.
According to Dr. Addai-Poku, stringent measures must be adopted to prevent such students from transitioning into higher educational institutions.
“We’ve been working behind the scene trying to find a way of dealing with this. That is why we are bringing a reform in the licensure examination. We have even approached the Ministry of Education, we have approached parliament trying to see how we can restructure the entry requirement to the colleges and so on.
“We have a challenge. I must also concede that even they go beyond the training institutions. Sometimes you have to also look at the foundational level; right from the basic school to the senior high to the university, because if the person is really good at the senior high and really deserves theWASSCE result that the person used to enter college, then the person shouldn’t have had difficulty in going through the licensure exam,” he said on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday.
The education sector has been hit by news of massive failure of students who sat to write the recent Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination conducted in May 2023. Out of a total of 7,728 student teachers who sat for the exam, a staggering figure of 6,451, constituting 83.5% failed.
Some students have expressed concerns that the areas of questions did not match their specific fields of study.
However, some authorities have welcomed the failure, with some referring to it as a “good omen.”
The Executive Director of Africa Education Watch, Kofi Asare, says the failure is a positive development since it sieves unfit teachers from the system.
“It is never a failure, it is a good omen for basic education because if you look at the whole issue, licensing teachers was to ensure that professional teaching standards are enhanced and so if you want to professionalise teaching, you need to raise the bar,” he said.
Meanwhile, authorities have noted that there will be some changes in the mode of the teacher licensure examination. The subsequent examinations will seek to assess teachers more on their areas of expertise.
The advent of distance learning courses at institutions of education is to be blamed for the mass failure of the teachers license examination, according to Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, the ranking member of Parliament’s Education Committee.
According to him, the distance programme particularly those for mature students have opened the floodgates for persons even with the most deplorable WASSCE results to earn a place at the colleges of education.
This he says is partly to be blamed for the mass failures at the colleges of education.
Speaking to the media, Peter Nortsu-Kotoe said it was time for the Ministry of Education to rethink the admission processes of colleges of education in the country.
“Entry requirements to colleges of education as the registrar said, yes the minimum is 36, that is C6 in all the six subjects and you’re good to go. But when you go to distance programmes there is one entry requirement they call mature students, that is where the problem is.
“So you can get the E8 all along and once you’re 25 years you qualify to do the programme and they are the ones creating the problems in the service. So they’re mature students, but the years for you to be a mature student I think it’s about 35, 40 but they’ve brought it down to 25. So when they go there they’re not able to do well,” he said.
He further called for a total scrap of the distance programmes.
According to him, the education of future leaders should not be placed into the hands of persons who do not go through the colleges of education full time.
He expressed concern that most of the educators being graduated from these colleges may have not fulfilled the required credit hours as a result of the distance learning programme.
“We also have a problem with this distance programme, you see, you go to the nursing programme I don’t think they run any distance programme or sandwich. No, you go to the college of nursing and you’re trained as a nurse because you’re coming to deal with human life.
“So if we’re to teach and you want us to do the course by distance, no, we have been telling the minister that the ministry must do something about it because there is a mass production of teachers.
“ So they’re producing teachers on mass basis and they’re unable to pass the examination because I don’t even see the credit hours that they even earn, whether they earn it genuinely, I don’t know. So there’s the need for the Ministry of Education and GTEC to sit up,” he said.
In a bid to eradicate examination irregularities, the West African Examination Council (WAEC) has modified its rules and regulations.
Mrs Wendy E. Addy-Lamptey, Head of National Office, WAEC, said the revision had become necessary because of the new trends in examination malpractice.
“The revised rules will take effect here in Ghana from this year’s diet of examinations. They include the following: Registration of unqualified candidates, destruction of exhibits by candidates, posting of live questions on the internet, refusal to grant timely access into school premises and misconduct of examination officials at examination centres.
“The revised rules have been sent to all participating schools and are available on the council’s website, www.waecgh.org.”
She said this at the 39th WAEC Distinction Awards Ceremony for 2022 WASSCE School Candidates held in Accra to honour candidates who excelled and distinguished themselves.
Mrs Addy-Lamptey noted that the issue of examination malpractice continued to be “a bane for the Council…”
“Cheating has become the norm for some schools and perpetrators go to any lengths to engage in malpractice. What is most disturbing is the involvement of some school authorities, supervisors and invigilator in this canker, which is eating away the moral fibre of our society.”
She said collusion detected in scripts continued to be the most reported type of examination malpractice adding “out of the total number of candidates that sat for the WASSCE 2022, collusion was detected in the scripts of 24, 070 (5.74per cent) of the candidates”.
According to her, the increasing number of impersonation cases in school examination was also a great cause of worry.
She said at the WASSCE for school candidates (2022), 126 impersonation cases were recorded and reported to the Police.
“Another developing trend, which is pushing itself ahead of the pack in examination malpractice is solicitations to join groups and websites to study some ‘purported WAEC confirmed topics’.
I will categorically state that the Council has not confirmed topics or sanctioned any such confirmed topics from or for any group or organisation.”
Mrs Addy-Lamptey, therefore, advised the public not to click or join any group or site, which shared or taught the so called “WAEC Confirmed Topics”.
She said the Council would continue to adopt stringent measures to preserve the integrity of its examination and called for support of all stakeholders.
“We are all being cautioned not to enter our telephone numbers at such websites as they make use of the numbers to get back to you. Curbing examination malpractice and preserving the integrity of our examinations is a collective responsibility.”
She assured 2023 WASSCE candidates that they could pass their examinations without cheating and congratulated the awardees, saying they were “examples of perseverance and hard work”.
The Excellence and Distinction Awards was instituted by the WAEC Endowment Fund to recognise and publicly acknowledge candidates who performed in the Council’s national and international examinations.
Alex Opoku Manu and Benjamin Eyram Nana Kwame Degbey, both formerly of St James Seminary Senior High School, Sunyani, were adjudged first and second overall best winners respectively in the WASSCE for School Candidates.
Abena Afriyie Poku of the Holy Child School won the third position.
Alex Opoku was adjudged the best student in General Science, Mubarak Illiasu, former student of T.I Ahmadiyya Senior High School, was the best student in General Arts, Ato Kwamena Quansah, a former student of Presbyterian Boys’ Senior High School, Legon, was adjudged the best candidate in Business and Ewura Esi Adobea Otieku-Boadu, a former student of Wesley Girls High School, was best student in Home Economics.
The awardees took home cash prizes, lap top computers, certificates, and plagues.
Their former schools were also given desktop computers and plagues.
A total of 422, 883 candidates took part in the 2022 WASSCE.
Manu and Degbey have picked up their international wards at the recent 71st Annual Council meeting held in the Gambia in March this year.
Koomson Stephen, a brilliant student who achieved outstanding results in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in 2021, has found himself involved in illegal mining, known as ‘galamsey’, as a means to overcome financial difficulties.
Koomson, a former student of Mpohor Senior High School, attained an impressive academic record with 5As and 3Bs across various subjects.
Unfortunately, due to financial constraints, the brilliant student has been unable to pursue higher education since 2021, Instead, he has resorted to engaging in galamsey and other menial jobs in order to support himself and provide assistance to his younger siblings.
A tweet shared by popular entertainment blogger Ameyaw Debrah displayed Koomson diligently working with a shovel in a galamsey pit.
Ameyaw Debrah’s post shed light on Koomson’s situation, bringing attention to the plight of the ambitious student. The tweet mentioned that Koomson who had five (5As) in his WASSCE including Mathematics, Integrated Science, Religious and Moral Education, Government, and Geography is actively seeking scholarship opportunities and any possible means to return to school.
“Koomson Stephen is a graduate of Mpohor SHS in the western region with 5As and 3Bs in his WASSCE in 2021. Due to financial constraints and other circumstances beyond him, the needy but brilliant student has abandoned education since 2021 and joined in “Galamsey” artisanal mining and other menial jobs to survive and also support other junior siblings,” part of his post read.
The issue of galamsey has long been a contentious topic in Ghana, as illegal mining activities pose significant environmental and social challenges to the wellbeing of Ghanaians.
Fourteencomputersbelonging to the Visually Impaired Department of Okuapeman Senior High School (SHS) in the Akuapem North Municipality of the Eastern Region, have been stolen by some robbers.
The alleged thieves, embarked on the operation during the Easter break at the School Laboratory by taking away 10 desktop computers, four laptops and a sound system used for the Oral English test during the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
A Police source, who confirmed the incident, said the stolen computers are the only gadgets the students use in training for internal and external West African Examination Council (WAEC) organised exams.
He explained that the stolen items are going to affect the preparation of students towards WASSCE and the conduct of the exams if not replaced in due time.
However, information gathered from the school indicated that several students do not know how to use Braille, and the computer is the only medium they are familiar with in writing exams.
“We are appealing to the Government of Ghana, corporate institutions, churches and individuals to help the school with about 20 desktop computers, 10 laptops and a sound system by July to help students write the exams successfully,” a source said.
Meanwhile, the Headmaster of the school, Reverend Richard Koranteng Afari, when contacted, said the issue has been reported to the police and investigations are underway.
The roof of the science block at the Huni-Valley Senior High School in the Western Region has been ripped off by a heavy rain that began at 3:40 pm on Tuesday, March 28, 2023.
The block houses the school’s Biology, Chemistry, and Physics laboratories.
The rainfall severely impacted the science block, which also houses five classrooms used by SHS 3 students.
The incident occurred at a time when final-year students are eagerly awaiting the start of their first mock exams on Thursday, March 30.
A source told Citi News, learning materials in laboratories and classrooms have been exposed to rain, while electricity poles in the school have been impacted.
Some surrounding communities have been left in the dark.
The violent rainstorm wreaked havoc on nearby communities such as Amoanda in the Prestea-Huni-Valley Municipality, as well as individual homes.
The West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates for this year will take place from Monday, July 31 to September 26, 2023, while the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) for both school and private candidates will be written simultaneously from Monday, August 7 to Friday, August 11, 2023.
The schedule for both exit examinations for final-year students of senior high schools (SHSs) and junior high schools (JHS) has been brought forward by a month compared to the schedule for 2022.
The Head of Public Affairs of WAEC, Agnes Teye-Cudjoe, clarified that the schedule, particularly for the WASSCE, would be for candidates in Ghana.
Mrs Teye-Cudjoe announced that the portal for the registration of eligible candidates for the WASSCE for school candidates had been opened and would close on Wednesday, April 19, 2023.
The council had also held briefing sessions nationwide for the authorities of 978 schools who were expected to present candidates for the examination.
She urged candidates to ensure their bio-data are captured correctly and that any amendment of their date of birth, re-arrangement/addition or subtraction of names, will not be entertained after the release of the final results and printing of certificates.
Mrs Teye-Cudjoe also cautioned schools against committing illegalities, such as advertising the examination in any form and registering students who were not in their final year, and she noted that it was an offense to register “remedial” students who had previously written the WASSCE SC and joined some public/accredited private schools in form three for examination purposes only. The approved WAEC registration fee for entry in seven or eight subjects was GH¢381.24, and that the figure was exclusive of the fees for practical or oral tests.
Regarding the BECE for school and private candidates, Mrs Teye-Cudjoe stated that the council would hold briefing sessions for all stakeholders who would be involved in the registration of candidates from the respective schools, adding that the sessions would focus on the guidelines and requirements for the registration process.
Mrs Teye-Cudjoe urged candidates and their parents or guardians to take note of the registration procedures, which included the correct spelling and arrangement of names, confirmation of date of birth, and the proper capturing of candidates’ photographs.
She also emphasized that the registration of non-school or unqualified candidates, as well as the falsification of continuous assessment scores, were illegal and punishable by de-recognition of the affected school, disciplinary action, and withholding of results.
In conclusion, Mrs Teye-Cudjoe urged all stakeholders to comply with the rules and regulations governing the WASSCE and BECE examinations, and to report any illegalities or irregularities to the appropriate authorities.
Social Media users have criticised the Ghana Education Service (GES) in the Gushegu Districtfor making a student travel 428km to receive Ghc200 award.
Abdul-Latif Fawei who was adjudged the 2022 best student in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in the Gushegu district, had to travel 306,4 kilomtres from Wa to Tamale and another 122kilometres to the Gushegu at the invitation of authorities for the award.
The shock has however been the fact that only Ghc200 was concealed in the envelope presented to the awardee and a former student of Gushiegu Senior High school.
Narrating his frustration to the media, he revealed “I went to Gushegu on the 6th March day that was yesterday for the award as best WASSCE student of Gushegu SHS. I was presented with an envelope (containing 200 ghc) by the education director”
Angry social media reactions have greeted the conduct of theEducationDirectorate who took Ghc43,515.00 from the Member of Parliament(MP) from the area in organising the event which coincided with the 66th Independence Day Celebration.
Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Constituency has denied his involvement in the award of GHc200to the Best WASSCE student in the Gushegu district.
In a release signed by the Gushegu NPP Communication Officer officer, Mohammed Imoro revealed that the MP bore the whole budget of GHC 43,515.00 the District Assembly had presented him as cost of the whole celebration, stressing that the MP had no knowledge that 200 Cedis was going to be awarded to the best 2022 WASSCE student.
Mr Yakubu Fuseini Batong, the Sissalla East Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) has bemoaned the low performance of students at the BECE and WASSCE in the Sissala East Municipality despite sustained interventions in the education sector.
Mr Batong said the performance of the 2021 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results were disturbing and called on all education stakeholders to work harder to reverse the trend.
He explained that the BECE results for 2021 saw a decrease in performance from 44 per cent in 2020 to 24 per cent in 2021, whilst the WASSCE results from Tumu Senior High Technical School also saw a decrease from 28.9 per cent in 2020 to 20.7 per cent in 2021.
Mr Batong expressed the concern in Tumu during the 66th Independence Day celebration where school children and voluntary organizations marched to observe the day under the theme: “Our Unity Our Strength, Our Purpose.”
Mr Batong enumerated 10 educational infrastructural projects being carried out, including the construction of four 3-Unit classroom blocks with ancillary facilities in Dimajang, Sentie, the Tumu Midwifery and, Gbenebisi.
He also mentioned the provision of dual desk to selected schools, the construction of KG block at Kowie, maintenance of the Ghana Education Office and rehabilitating teacher’s Quarters at Nabulo, among others.
However, it is disheartening to note that despite these government investments, parents, and teachers’ contributions towards developing children, their performance is still below average, and this must change, he said.
Mr Batong appealed to parents to take advantage of the interventions in the infrastructure and make sure that no child within the school-going age was left behind.
The MCE said as part of the effort to change the trend, the Municipal Education Oversight Committee was instituting measures to reverse the poor academic performance with the writing of two Municipal wide Mock Examinations and organizing seminars for BECE candidates whilst reading competitions at the lower primary had also been introduced to improve academic performance.
The MCE appealed to the public to make it an individual policy to clean their frontages both at home and at the workplace.
The MCE urged parents to be responsible in providing the basic needs of the girl child as the canker of elopement of school girls and teenage pregnancy was bedeviling the Municipality.
Ten public and seven private schools, Tricycles riders, GNAT LAS ladies, NAGRAT, Tailors, Boys and Girls Cadets and Camfed ladies participated in the marching, which was reviewed by Inspector Erebung Lieta Bismarck of the Ghana Police Service who was assisted by Cadet Major Engineer Samuel Osei Asare, Northern Sector Cadet Corps of the National Cadet Corps Ghana.
In his statement at Ghana’s 66th Independence Day celebration on Monday, March 6, 2023 in Tamale, the capital of the Northern Regional State, concerned Northern Regional Minister Alhaji Shani Alhassan Shaibu revealed this.
The circumstance, which does not bode well for effective learning among the students who should take their education seriously, was lamented by the minister.
“This does not auger well for us. As stakeholders, we need to critically assess the current situation looking at the gaps in existing interventions in order to achieve coherent and sustainable interventions for eliminating teenage pregnancies in our schools,” Hon. Alhaji Shani Alhassan Shaibu said.
The Minister further made a clarion call for peace and unity since they are the bedrock of development.
“I call for closer collaboration among us all stakeholders to achieve the desired goals for peace. Let us remember that the dividends of progress and development can only be achieved if we have the required. Despite our diverse socio-economic structure, let us put aside our differences and create a united front for Mother Ghana’s progress.’
Meanwhile, the Independence day anniversary parade was attended by contingents from the various security agencies, cadet corps from second cycle institutions, and pupils from basic schools in the Tamale metropolis under the theme “Our Unity Strength, Purpose”.
Awards and certificates were presented to 16 schools in the metropolis for their performance in the parade. Although the parade began early, some school contingents suffered severe dehydration which nearly undermined the celebration’s beauty.
This was announced by the West African ExaminationCouncil (WAEC).
WAEC disclosed that the entry figure is composed of 20,164 males and 23,578 females. 76 of the candidates also had visual impairment and 2 had a hearing impairment.
901 candidates also had their results withheld for engaging in alleged examination malpractices.
The Council cautioned members of the public to be on the alert for scammers who may contact candidates with the promise of upgrading their results for a fee payable through mobile money transfers.
Scores of students at Yilo Krobo Senior High Secondary School in the Eastern Region are compelled to sleep in the open and in makeshift structures because of the teething problem of lack of infrastructure.
A video that has gone viral captured some students admitted into the school as part of the Free Senior High School (Free SHS), sleeping in the open under the vagaries of the weather.
The Chairman of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) of the school, Iddrissu Adamptey, speaking in an interview on the Ghana Yensom morning show hosted by Odeyeeba Kofi Essuman on Accra 100.5 FM on Thursday, February 16, 2023, said the problem of congestion has been a headache to the managers of the school in recent times.
He stressed that the of lack of dormitories coupled with the lack of furniture needs immediate attention.
He said because of this, parents are compelled to provide plastic chairs for their wards to serve as furniture for studying.
He explained that the situation is worrying, adding that the number of students posted to the school continues to rise without accompanying infrastructure.
Assigning reasons for the rising population of the school, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the Yilo Krobo Municipal Assembly, Mr. Eric Tetteh, said it was the school’s performance in the 2020 and 2021 West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
According to him, over the past couple of years, the school has become attractive to parents because of its academic performance.
He further said the aforementioned, in addition to the school’s performance in the last National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) competition, has exacerbated the problem of the school as parents and old students continue to push for the admission of their wards.
He stressed that this feat was achieved by the provision of a state-of-the-art science laboratory by the Ministry of Education.
The school, he explained, now has a population of about 2,847 students pursuing various academic subjects.
He added he had visited the school on three occasions to assess the situation and very soon the ministry would come to the aid of the school.
The MCE refused to add timelines to the promise but assured that the attention of the sector minister has been drawn to the problem of the school and remedial steps will be taken promptly.
“I have promised not to sleep over the matter because I am an old boy of the school,” he concluded.
A total of 538,399 of the 547,329 candidates who took the 2022 Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE) qualified for the Computerised School Selection Placement (CSSPS) in Senior High and Technical and Vocational Schools this year.
A total of 372,780 students, representing 69.24 per cent of the qualified students have been automatically placed in one of their school choices, while 165, 619 candidates, representing 30,76 per cent, who could not be matched with any of their choices, are to do self-placement to select from available schools.
Candidates for the self-placement module are to select a school from the portal by providing their region, residential preference, school, and programme of choice, click on submit, print the form, and visit the school to begin the admission process.
The candidates are to note that schools selected on the self-placement portal can be changed as many times as the candidate wishes on the portal until they enrol in a school.
Dr Eric Nkansah, the Director General, GES, announced this at a press conference in Accra and said, in line with the 2023 academic calendar, the first-year students were to report to school on February 20, 2023, for registration and orientation for academic work to start on February 27, 2023.
Touching on grievance mechanisms, Dr Nkansah said “solution centres” had been set up at the national level at the Ghana National Association of Teachers Hall, Adabraka, and all the Regional Education Offices across the country to address concerns of students.
“Our social media handles are available for individuals to report any grievances, and our staff will respond as soon as practicable.
“Students or parents can call the toll free number- 0302987654, for their concerns to be addressed,” he said.
Dr Nkansah cautioned parents and guardians to report unscrupulous people, who may approach them to pay any amount of money for placement, to the police.
As part of measures to curb placement infractions, Dr Nkansah said the Service had strengthened its internal controls to double check the integrity of the system.
The Director-General advised heads of all schools to stick to the approved prospectus and urged parents to cooperate with the school authorities during and after the admission processes.
He said the Service, in collaboration with the Regional Directors of Education, had developed one homogeneous prospectus for the schools.
Mr David Prah, Deputy Director General, Ghana Technical and Vocational Education and Training Service, said 36,000 candidates had been placed in technical and vocational schools to train their creative skills for the country’s development.
The candidates are to obtain a placement pin code from an approved vendor, log onto www.cssps.gov.gh, enter the 10-digit index number and add 22 as the year of completion, enter the serial number and pin code details, click submit, print the forms, and visit the school to begin the admission process.
The 2022 BECE commenced on Monday, October 17, and the West African Examination Council released the results on January 25, 2023.
The CSSPS became operational in September 2005, to address challenges from the manual system of selection and placement.
The system places students transiting from the Junior High Schools to Senior High Schools, Senior High Technical Schools and Technical and Vocational Institutes.
General Secretary for the Convention Peoples Party, Nana Yaa Jantuah, has taken a swipe at the current crop of leaders, describing them as failures.
Speaking on UTV, the CPP executive said the leadership of the country under the New Patriotic Party’s Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo are ruling the country like F9 students while individuals who can be selected to work towards economic liberation have been sidelined.
“F9 students are ruling this country and the A1s are sitting on the bench
“Someone who has led the country to this point, how else can we grade him? If his performance was taken to WAEC to be graded using the WASSCE scale, what do you think his performance would have been?
Touching on issues regarding the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) government is implementing, she said the country is currently facing economic struggles because of some decisions made by elements in government.
According to Nana Yaa Jantuah, the Finance Minister is being maintained while others in the NPP who are competent and capable of bringing the economy back on track, have been sidelined.
“It does not matter your relationship with the person, whether or not the person is liked, if you are able to cross carpets into other parties to pick and appoint people who will help solve Ghana’s problems, it’ll be good.
“One person I have constantly listened to addressing issues of economic importance is Mark Assibey-Yeboah and he is good. Why can’t the president take him to the finance ministry to replace Ken Ofori-Atta?” she further asked.
The government of Ghana, on December 5, 2022, launched the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme, an invitation for the voluntary exchange of the government’s domestic notes and bonds for a package of new bonds.
The move is to help the government restructure GH¢137 billion of its domestic debts to prove to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that its debts are sustainable so that it can get the $3 billion bailout, it is seeking from the fund.
However, the government has had to extend the deadline for the programme due to opposition by individuals and entities who will be affected including individual bondholders as well as some labour unions. The new deadline is February 7, 2023.
Parents whose children attend senior high schools in the area have been urged by the Savannah regional education directorate to make sure their children show up for class.
The call by the directorate has become necessary because three weeks after reopening schools, most students are yet to report.
The Savannah regional director of the Ghana Education Service, Hajia Katumi Natogmah Atta who made the appeal through Citi News said the situation is very worrying.
Hajia Katumi reminded parents that the timetable will not change for Senior High Schools in the Savannah Region.
“I am appealing to parents in the Savannah Region to allow our students to come to school. We have reopened and as of Friday the attendance wasn’t encouraging. So I want to tell parents that we have reopened, and we are prepared to teach, so parents should allow their children to come to school.
“The academic calendar will not change for Savannah. The time they write WASSCE will be the same time that students in Savannah will also write WASSCE…so if they don’t come it will be difficult for the teachers to cover the syllabus.”
After discovering an unidentified body in a small grave next to the school’s park on Tuesday afternoon, students at the St. Aiden Anglican basic school in Wa in the Upper West Region were left in a state of terror and fear.
Pupils of the St. Aiden Anglican basic school in Wa in the on Tuesday afternoon were thrown into a state of fear and panic after they found an unidentified body in a shallow grave near the school’s park.
The incident is the first since the beginning of this year after 12 of similar cases were recorded last year in Wa.
Citi News’ Latif Mahama said teachers and pupils of the St. Aiden Anglican basic school watched in fear and disbelief as the police tried to exhume the remains of the yet-to-be-identified body near the school’s park.
Citi News sources at the school indicate that some pupils run into a shallow grave which had bones protruding from it.
Within minutes, the school became a point of attraction as scores of students travelled far and near to catch a glimpse of what appeared to be yet another gruesome murder in the Wa township.
Unlike similar incidents that engulfed the Wa township last year, Tuesday’s body had decomposed.
About 18 suspects have been arrested in connection with what is suspected to be ritual killings in the Wa within the past 11 months.
Sources within the Upper West regional police command indicate that investigations so far have not linked any of the suspects to the killings.
Some of the suspects have been released on medical grounds while others are still in custody pending further investigations.
Residents, however, say the killings in the Wa township are becoming one too many and must be halted by the police.
Both teachers and pupils of the St. Aiden Anglican basic school declined to speak on Tuesday’s incident.
It’s regular to witness young people with their heads buried in phones, jumping from one social media platform to the other.
In search for fun activities or trends to hop on from TikTok to Instagram, then Facebook, to WhatsApp among others.
Most often, these people get overwhelmed by online activities, which results in spending hours behind their devices.
As rampant as is it, the individuals involved in this are second-cycle students, who per the standards of Ghana Education Service (GES), are not permitted to carry nor use phones on their premises.
File photo
Although there have been calls by various stakeholders for phones to be tolerated in schools, the GES maintains that phones will be a form of distraction among other things.
Despite the stringent rule, some students have the courage to be seen pressing their smartphones whilst in uniforms at bus terminals in the mornings to school and afternoons after school.
On a number of occasions, my encounters with such students got me worried as they kept giggling at their screens at the funny videos, they watched on their preferred social media platforms.
It’s understandable if youngsters want to keep up with trends and be abreast of new technology. But their constant use of phones has created some kind of over-dependence on these devices for trivial information.
Information like simple mathematical formulas, proper use of English expressions, basic science and social studies, which should be at their fingertips should they study.
This dependence has translated into phones playing key roles in the preparations towards, during and after the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
Months before the exams, students make payments to be added to group chats where possible questions for various subjects will be sent for them to study.
It’s no surprise reports from the education think tank, Africa Education Watch found that out of the 20 WASSCE papers monitored for the 2021 examination, 11 of them leaked.
Heads of the WAEC Ghana National Office, Mrs. Wendy E. Addy-Lamptey
The education think tank said its online monitoring team joined over 30 free WhatsApp and Telegram Pages to observe proceedings before and during the examinations.
Most of these platforms have over 200,000 subscribers who pay between ¢30 and ¢100 each at the beginning of the examinations for the paper.
For some papers whose answers are supposed to be sent the morning of that subject paper, students sneak foreign materials [phones] into the exam hall which has accounted for an increasing number of students who take phones to the exam hall each year.
Statistics
This phenomenon has translated into an upsurge in phone-related malpractices over the years.
Reports by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) prove that the leading cause of malpractice is the smuggling of cell phones to examination centres.
In 2018, it also led to cancellation of some papers of 1,339 candidates and 174 others having their entire results cancelled.
A year after (2019), some 48,555 candidates had their entire results withheld by WAEC for investigations to be carried out for suspected involvement in cases of examination malpractice.
In 2020 some 2,383 candidates saw subject results cancelled and the entire results of 480 candidates.
Fortunately, in 2021 the figure dropped, as some 1,339 candidates had their subject results cancelled and for 174 candidates, an entire result cancelled.
This year, however, the number of malpractices more than doubled from that of 2021 with some 3,845 candidates having a subject paper cancelled and the entire results of 518 candidates cancelled.
2022 WASSCE in Ghana [Source: WAEC]
Concerns
This phenomenon has raised a lot of questions in the minds of stakeholders about the continuous rise in examination malpractices.
In a recent interview on Joy News, the Executive Director of Africa Education Watch, Kofi Asare expressed worry about the apparent doubling of exam malpractices through the years.
Kofi Asare is the Executive Director of Africa Education Watch
He mentioned that the examination council sees an almost exponential rise in students involved in malpractice annually.
But what is the driving force behind this disturbing trend despite the annual ‘scapegoating’ of candidates? Do candidates believe, for some unfathomable reason, that they will be able to evade the authorities with their hidden mobile phones and unapproved gadgets?
I don’t think it is worth it. The risk of suffering penalties like inability to further their education, and suspension from writing WASSCE for the 3 to five years, is too expensive a price to pay.
WASSCE performance in Ghana [Source: WAEC]
The Problem
Is it Generation Z’s desperation for quick ways to succeed, an addiction to phones, or parents’ failure to monitor the activities of their children?
Whichever the cause may be, I believe the sooner this issue is addressed the better it will be for Ghana’s future leaders.
Generally, teenagers have the propensity to quickly adopt new character traits. This is also the dominant age group in the country’s second-cycle institutions.
So why do these same candidates, with all this cognitive ability, need to smuggle in mobile phones for an examination they had three years to prepare for?
If the situation is not curbed, it could become a phenomenon where the number of students who passed their examination by dint of hard work will be equivalent to those involved in phone-related malpractices.
The way forward
Parents should make sure their children do not carry their phones to school. Teachers must inspect students to make sure they do not carry phones to the classroom.
Teachers must let students know that they do not need leaked questions or ‘apor’ to pass their examination.
Months before the WASSCE, there must be a forum for WAEC officials to answer questions on the minds of the students.
This will sensitise them and get them mentally prepared for the examination.
If possible, schools should invite old students who worked hard to get into universities to inspire students that hard work pays and that there is no simpler way to succeed.
Cynthia Makafui Abla Baragbor has once again proven that Francisca Lamini’s achievement was not by luck but by hardwork and perseverance.
Ketasco has once again provided a female student who has completed her secondary education with flying colours.
Speaking withGhanaWeb through her brother Jerome Chris Mawuli, the 18-year-old who was born on November 2, 2004, said that beyond her love for science and mathematics, she loves to dance and sing.
She told the media that with little effort by just doing what she loves and putting her mind into everything she does, she started experiencing a life of many firsts.
She started her education at the Holy Star International Academy in Aflao and later moved to the Aflao Border Basic School in 2015.
“I was admitted into class six and I assumed the first position in my first year in the school which was so overwhelming because we were over 100 students then.
“In my second-year exams, I came up second and was appointed by the head of the school to be the Office Girl,” she said.
Cynthia also explained that she became interested in a number of activities while in school, one of which was a literary competition she took part in.
She spoke about how well the competition organised by the current Member of Parliament for Ketu South, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, went for her.
“I took part in numberless competitions and the renowned one was the Write Away Contest which was organized by Hon. Dzifa Gomashie. I specifically took part in the 2nd edition of the competition which was in 3 stages. Amazingly, I qualified for all three stages, however, the final results were not released due to an undisclosed reason.
“With my final year exams into JHS 3, I fabulously assumed the first position with over 150 students in the class and I was presented with the Certificate of Excellence by the headmaster, Mr Attipoe Emmanuel Yao, for displaying excellent performance in academics,” she added.
She left the school as Girls Prefect, a position she occupied due to what she described as her “impressive results and hard work.”
Cynthia went on from there to excel in her BECE and then gained admission to the Keta Senior High School where hard work and determination got her to be selected to join the school’s National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) team.
She, however, was unable to join the team on the stage although her contributions greatly added to the success of the school.
“I was selected into the Ketasco NSMQ team through hard work and diligence. Unfortunately, I was not on stage.
“…I won the overall best female science student at the 69th-anniversary celebration of the school,” she added.
Determined to pursue medicine, Cynthia’s dreams seem to be hanging in the balance due to financial constraints although she has been able to score a perfect result in her WASSCE. She is the last child and only girl among three siblings born to a father who is a farmer and a mother who is a trader.
In the words of Jerome, her elder brother, the family needs support to help her get a scholarship to study medicine at a university abroad, but that notwithstanding, they have taken initial steps to purchase admission forms for the University of Ghana (UG) and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
Cynthia stated that without the help of her teachers and her other mates, she could not have achieved this much.
It seems to be evident that the students who represent each senior high school in the nation at the esteemed National Science and Mathematical Quiz (NSMQ) give spectators a lot to enjoy about both their schools and the competition.
The ‘yays’, the ‘wows,’ and the ‘ohs’ have become so synonymous with the competition, it makes it more desirous for many followers of the NSMQ to look forward to it every year.
While the names and faces of the boys and girls who appear on the screens are those that people cannot easily forget about, there is also one other very important part of the engines of these schools that represent them on the national stage.
These are the young men and women in the background working out complex permutations, mathematical calculations and scientific equations, but who hardly get to be heard of, or are spoken about.
In this article, GhanaWeb puts the spotlight on one such person; a young woman from the Keta Senior High School who has just completed SHS with flying colours after the release of the West African Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results.
Scoring all As in her General Science course, Cynthia Makafui Abla Baragbor has proven to be a successful product of what the NSMQ can birth, even in the background.
Speaking with GhanaWeb through her brother Jerome Chris Mawuli, the 18-year-old who was born on November 2, 2004, said that beyond her love for science and mathematics, she loves to dance and sing.
She told GhanaWeb that with little effort by just doing what she loves and putting her mind into everything she does, she started experiencing a life of many firsts.
She started her education at the Holy Star International Academy in Aflao and later moved to the Aflao Border Basic School in 2015.
“I was admitted into class six and I assumed the first position in my first year in the school which was so overwhelming because we were over 100 students then.
“In my second-year exams, I came up second and was appointed by the head of the school to be the Office Girl,” she said.
Cynthia also explained that she became interested in a number of activities while in school, one of which was a literary competition she took part in.
She spoke about how well the competition organised by the current Member of Parliament for Ketu South, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, went for her.
“I took part in numberless competitions and the renowned one was the Write Away Contest which was organized by Hon. Dzifa Gomashie. I specifically took part in the 2nd edition of the competition which was in 3 stages. Amazingly, I qualified for all three stages, however, the final results were not released due to an undisclosed reason.
“With my final year exams into JHS 3, I fabulously assumed the first position with over 150 students in the class and I was presented with the Certificate of Excellence by the headmaster, Mr Attipoe Emmanuel Yao, for displaying excellent performance in academics,” she added.
She left the school as Girls Prefect, a position she occupied due to what she described as her “impressive results and hard work.”
Cynthia went on from there to excel in her BECE and then gained admission to the Keta Senior High School where hard work and determination got her to be selected to join the school’s National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) team.
She, however, was unable to join the team on the stage although her contributions greatly added to the success of the school.
“I was selected into the Ketasco NSMQ team through hard work and diligence. Unfortunately, I was not on stage.
“…I won the overall best female science student at the 69th-anniversary celebration of the school,” she added.
Determined to pursue medicine, Cynthia’s dreams seem to be hanging in the balance due to financial constraints although she has been able to score a perfect result in her WASSCE. She is the last child and only girl among three siblings born to a father who is a farmer and a mother who is a trader.
In the words of Jerome, her elder brother, the family needs support to help her get a scholarship to study medicine at a university abroad, but that notwithstanding, they have taken initial steps to purchase admission forms for the University of Ghana (UG) and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
Mr Kofi Asare contends that rather than punishing students who engage in examination malpractice, the Exam Council ought to take proactive measures to avoid it.
He revealed this in an interview on JoyNews on Thursday.
Mr. Asare’s remarks come after WAEC cancelled a number of candidates’ exam results due to exam fraud during this year’s WASSCE exams.
In his words, “looking at the information issued by WAEC, we realized that there is an increase in the number of subjects that were cancelled relative to last year by almost 187 percent. So it has increased from from 1,300 last year to roughly 3,600 this year.
According to the data, the prevalence of exam fraud is growing, hence WAEC needs to be more aggressive in responding to such events as they happen.
The greatest method to stop examination malpractice, according to Mr. Asare, is to make sure it doesn’t happen in the first place rather than trying to fix it after it has already happened.
Even though Ghana performed better this year in the WASSCE exam, he pointed out that the country still has a long way to go.
For WASSCE applicants taking the 2022 exam, the West African Examination Council has announced preliminary results.
According to a statement released by WAEC on Thursday, the results only apply to students from Ghana who sat the examinations this year.
The exam body claims that candidates can view the results on its website.
The West African Examination Council (WAEC) will release the provisional results of the 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) today.
The release follows the completion of all its post-examination processes.
A total of 422,883 senior high school (SHS) students across the country sit for the WASSCE exams.
Per the gender demographic presented by WAEC, 203,753 of the candidates were males, while 219,130 were females.
Meanwhile, WAEC disclosed in a statement that its outfit is carrying out ongoing investigations into examination irregularities detected during and after the exams.
“The Council is hereby urging school authorities and candidates who have been invited to its offices to assist with investigations into suspected cases of malpractice to endeavour to honour the invitations to facilitate the speedy resolution of those cases,” the statement noted.
Examination malpractice has predominantly become part and parcel of Ghana’s educational system.
Students’ involvement in examination malpractice has become increasingly worrying.
In 2021, the entire results of 174 candidates who sat for the 2021 WASSCE were cancelled due to examination malpractices.
Finding better solutions to nipping exam malpractice in the bud, the education think tank Africa Education Watch, admonished WAEC to stop the use of supervisors from the Ghana Education Service (GES) and solely use external supervisors during the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
Programme Officer at the Africa Education Watch, Kwasi Nimo Jnr. stated that centres which had GES supervisors recorded high cases of exam malpractices.
He said, “GES staff cannot be made to supervise their own students with an interest for them to pass to enhance their own KPIs. This is what we are recommending because our monitoring report showed that, whenever there are WAEC supervisors on the ground, there is orderliness and no cheating.”
Elizabeth Atiako has been suffering from an undiagnosed condition for the past ten years.
The mother of Elizabeth, Madam Lydia Adofo, explained her daughter’s condition and pleaded for support in an interview on SVTV Africa with DJ Nyaami.
Madam Adofo indicated that her daughter’s ailment began while writing her third paper for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
Elizabeth attended Gomoa Ahyiem Senior High School, but she was befallen by an unknown condition while at the examination hall and quickly rushed home.
“They rushed her to me, and we took her to a hospital in Essikuma, but all they said was malaria. I’ve visited many pastors, and I’ve spent a lot of money on her, but she doesn’t improve. Initially, she would shout suddenly, but it has stopped now. I took her to Ankaful (psychiatric hospital). But whenever drugs were administered, her tongue would pull out while she spun continuously. So I stopped,” she recounted.
The single mother of five pleaded for financial support for a thorough examination. Madam Lydia indicated that her daughter does not speak and often acts out aggressively when touched.
“I plead for support to help Lizzy get the help she needs because it is her well-being that I’m looking out for. I’ve sold all I have to cater to her, but the condition is still the same. It’s been ten years since it began, and I don’t know what to do,” she added.
Education think tank, Africa Education Watch, is admonishing the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) to stop the use of supervisors from the Ghana Education Service (GES) and solely use external supervisors during the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
The group made the call at the launch of its 2022 WASSCE monitoring report.
“The low number of supervisors that were appointed by WAEC was a huge challenge in the supervision of the just-ended WASSCE. WAEC must end the use of GES staff as supervisors and use external agents to supervise the WASSCE”, Programme Officer at the Africa Education Watch, Kwasi Nimo Jnr. stressed.
He also said, findings showed that centers that had GES supervisors recorded high cases of exam malpractice.
This he says is problematic as the country strives to fight the canker of examination malpractices, hence, the reversal of the practice.
“GES staff cannot be made to supervise their own students with an interest for them to pass to enhance their own KPIs. This is what we are recommending because our monitoring report showed that, whenever there are WAEC supervisors on the ground, there is orderliness and no cheating”.
The education think tank added that the Ministry of Education (MOE) and WAEC should re-negotiate the fees for invigilators and supervisors to realistic levels and ensure prompt payments.
The report revealed that the involvement of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) contributed greatly to the low incidence of question leakages.
It also called on the Ministry of Education to explore the possibility of providing access to market-led, pre-university distance programs for candidates who score at least E8 in all subjects to improve and pursue other careers.
The overall best student in the 2021 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and second best in West Africa, Mr Kwame Brako Asante, has donated some items to the Akropong School of the Blind in the Eastern Region.
The items, made up of two sound systems, four microphones, five pen drives and geometrical shapes, were to facilitate learning.
Mr Kwame Brako Asante, speaking at the short ceremony, expressed his excitement seeing the kids appreciate the donated items.
He expressed happiness about the students commitment to study and give off their best to society.
“One thing I believe in is if somebody who is disadvantaged is trying his best to achieve something good, that person deserves support, so I believe they have what it takes but they just need the support,” he added.
The Computer Science Student of Ashesi University further stated that he had plans of helping others through his field of study, as a way of impacting the various societies in Ghana.
He finally urged various stakeholders to join hands to support young individuals in their education as a way of making them prominent in society.
Mr Gideon Doyi, the Assistant Headmaster of the school, expressed his delight having received the items and said it had come at the right time to help them with their audio lessons.
He thanked Mr Brako Asante for choosing no other institution than theirs to donate the items and encouraged him to continue to support the school in years to come.
“We rely on sound, and these electronic items are going to help us in both teaching and entertainment,” He added.
The Assistant Headmaster further stated that the visit would serve as a motivation to the students to also achieve greater heights in society.
He appealed to individuals, organisations and corporate bodies to emulate the kind gesture by Mr Asante Brako.
Some students also shared their excitement as the items donated were going to make learning easier and better.
