2020 WASSCE was successful - Heads of SHS

This year’s West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) which started with practical subjects on July 20, is expected to end September 5, 2020.

Some heads of Senior High Schools (SHS) in the Greater Accra Region had expressed satisfaction on the conduct of the exit examinations, saying it had been successful.

The schools visited by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) were St Thomas Aquinas SHS, Labone SHS and Accra High SHS.

Mr Paul Amoasi Baidoo, Headmaster, St Thomas Aquinas SHS, in an interview, said the examination was peaceful and successful and commended the students for comporting themselves.

He commended government for providing Personal Protective Equipment to the students and also putting in place all the precautionary COVID-19 health protocols as prescribed by the World Health Organisation and the Ghana Health Service for their safety.

“There were anxiety before the start of the exams because of COVID-19, but through the help of government, everything went on successfully. We commend government for taking the bold decision to allow the students to write the exams,” he said.

According to the Headmaster, no student tested positive to COVID-19, adding that the leadership of the school ensured that all the students strictly adhered to the COVID-19 Protocols.

He said with the seriousness and zeal from the students, he was confident that the candidates would come out with flying colours and score 8 As for this year’s exams, stressing that in 2018, the school’s best grade was 6 As, while in 2019, six students scored 7 As.

Mr Baidoo thanked all stakeholders including the religious bodies for praying for the students in the wake of COVID-19.

Mr Isaac Arthur, Assistant Headmaster in charge of Administration, Labone SHS, said the General Arts students, Agriculture Students, Visual Arts students and Home Economics students had finished their exams and some had left for home as directed by the Ghana Education Service.

However, Mr Arthur said Science students and Agriculture students would write their final paper tomorrow before exiting the school.

He said the school had not recorded any case of COVID-19 and commended all stakeholders especially the old students for supporting the school with PPEs.

Reverend Lydia Anim-Nketia, Headmistress of Accra High SHS, expressed satisfaction about the comportment level of the students and commended the invigilators for performing their duties effectively.

Some students in an interview with GNA expressed optimism of obtaining good grades.

A total of 375,737 candidates sat for this year’s WASSCE in over 796 examination centres across the country. Out of the number, 187,574 of the candidates were males and 188,163, females.

Private schools presented a total of 61,899 candidates with public schools presenting 313,838 students.

The Ghana Education Service and the Ghana Health Service in a press release copied to the GNA said the final year students of SHS could go home on Friday, September 4th after completing their examination.

The statement said students from schools that had recorded a positive case but had no new positive case within the last two weeks could vacate and go home.

It said schools which recorded positive cases within the last two weeks however, would have their vacation delayed for assessment and observation, and that parents of such students would be notified.