Catholic Archbishop of Accra asks for the suspension of WASSCE and BECE

The Catholic Archbishop of Accra, Most Rev. John Bonaventure Kwofie, has called on the Government to suspend this year’s final examinations to be conducted for both Senior and Junior High schools by the West African Examination Council ( WAEC).

He is "worried" over the increasing reports of covid-19 case being recorded in some schools, describing it as a "tragedy".

The Archbishop belives the suspension of the 2020 West African Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) will prevent the further spread of the virus particularly among students.

According to a report by the newswatchgh.com, the Archbishop, who is in charge of education for the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, comes at a time parents are agitating after some students of the Accra Girls Senior High School among others tested positive for COVID-19.

In an interview with Newswatchgh.com on Sunday, July 12, the Archbishop said though it is important for students to prepare for their final exams, concerns of COVID-19 should force a radical move from government to suspend the exams until further notice.

”I am worried. We would not want to subject the children to a situation like this. But if they don’t go to school to prepare, there will be another problem. We are caught between two waters. I think this is an occasion for our leaders to do something more radical, more foundational,” he said.

”What do I mean, if the education sector, not just Ghana, can’t we come together and say that look because of COVID-19 we have postponed the examination until further notice? So that we do not subject our children to go to school to prepare for the examination,” he stated.

He emphasised that “The decision must be foundational and radical because the COVID is not just in Ghana.”

There have been calls by various teacher unions, some organizations and the major opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) on government to cancel both the WASSCE and BECE and allow students back home to prevent more students from contracting the virus.

But, Deputy Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Adutwum has defended government’s decision not to close down schools amidst the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in second-cycle institutions.