WAEC Praised

The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Honourable Sheikh I.C. Quaye, has praised the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), for the successes it has achieved over the years.

According to him, even though WAEC was saddled with teething problems; it has grown from strength to strength in the struggle to achieve its set objectives.

The minister said this at the formal opening ceremony of the 49th Annual General Meeting of the WAEC on Tuesday.

Honourable Quaye said he was particularly happy to see on his soil a new office of the Council's headquarters adding "This is an indication of the Council's determination to enter the new millennium with greater challenges".

In her address, Mrs. Sylvia Boye, the Registrar of WAEC, announced changes for the conduct of the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSSCE) from October/November to May/June with effect from this year.

This, she explained, was to assist the current crop of final year students to prepare adequately for the examination, and in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, the SSSCE for the current year will take place in July/August.

She said Ghana has been revising her national syllabuses in readiness to start doing the West African Senior Secondary Examination (WASSCE).

According to her, the fact that Ghana has not yet given a definite date for starting the WASSCE is becoming a cause for concern to the member countries.

The registrar identified examination malpractices as a major problem militating against the Council, but added that though the vice is abating in all the countries due mainly to the stringent but expensive measures adopted by the Council, there is urgent need for more significant improvement.

"The very good news in this regard is that there were no examination irregularities in Sierra Leone in all examinations conducted there in the year 2000.

"This is a laudable achievement and they need to be commended and encouraged to maintain that standard and be the torch-bearer in the area", she emphasized.