WAEC has never prevented cheating in exams – Bright Appiah

Executive Director of the Childs Right International, Bright Appiah, has said exams body, West African Examinations Council (WAEC), has over the years not prevented examination malpractices from happening.

He told Alfred Ocansey on the Sunrise morning show on 3FM Friday, August 7 that WAEC should be blamed for issues regarding examination malpractices in the country because they have failed to institute prudent measures to prevent such practices from occurring.

His comments follow the total disregard for the rule of law and the wanton destruction of school properties by some Senior High School (SHS) students across the country in reference to the ongoing West African Senior Schools Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

He said: “What the children are exhibiting, it is just the surface issues that we are dealing with because we have not gone into the substance of the matter – the history of WAEC itself.

“In the history of WAEC, they have never prevented any students from cheating in the examination.

“What they do is basically, when they suspect that you cheat then they will either cancel your paper. So, they don’t even solve the issue at the entrance of the whole examination concept.

“But after they have taken the examinations that is when they come in to say but this number of students have cheated because of the few indicators that they have put together to measure the outcome of the papers that they have written.

“You also need to understand how WAEC system operates so that you can put some of these things in the right contest so I for one feel that this issue that is at hand and what we are seeing is a collective effort to legitimize cheating in examination.

“So we have to go beyond the students and put all the stakeholders together and make them understand this is what we want for our children. If we don’t do that we will talk about it today and I am sure next year we will come back the same.”

Meanwhile, WAEC has relocated the examination centre for the WASSCE at the Bright Senior High School (SHS) in Kukurantumi to Ofori Panin Senior High School, following the attack on its officials and a journalist by the final-year students.

In a statement released by the Council on Friday, August 7, the students will write the remaining papers at OPASS from Saturday, August 8.

According to WAEC, the decision will “ensure the integrity of the examination and safeguard the lives of examination officials”.

The Council further pledged to take legal action against any person “involved in compromising the integrity of the examination in any manner” in future incidents.

“WAEC wishes to use this opportunity to encourage all supervisors and invigilators to continue to be vigilant and carry out their duties diligently and without fear.”

The Council condemned the actions of the perpetrators of the attacks.

“The Council strongly condemns the behaviour of the proprietor and candidates of Bright SHS as reported and wishes to caution that such unruly behaviour contravenes Section 8 (1) of the WAEC Act, 2006 (Act 719) which frowns on and sanctions acts of assault on examination officials,” the statement noted.