WAEC must sit up

The Association of Catholic Teachers (ACT) Kumasi province has stated that, it is time for the West African Examination Council (WAEC) which is in charge of administering the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in the country to sit up to redeem its lost image among a section of the public with respect to examination leakages.

This was contained in a press statement issued by the association on the cancellation of some papers of the ongoing BECE today in Kumasi.

The statement which was jointly signed by Mr. Eric Kyei and Mr. Williams Boakye-Baafi, Chairman and the Coordinator for the association respectively commended WAEC for the prompt action taken in cancelling some papers in ongoing examination, but quickly added that WAEC must also put in place mechanisms to check future leakage of examination questions to save its integrity and a lot of public ridicule.

The statement was of the view that the leakages might have been a result of some negligence on the part of WAEC officials and some communities’ chastising teachers on the poor performance of students after the examination results are released. It added that, ranking of BECE and WASSCE results of schools / Districts and some parent’s anxiety to get certain grades and schools for their ward by fair or foul means might have also contributed in this regard.

It was also of the view that, the government’s attempt to introduce the progressively free SHS programme at the start of the 2015 / 2016 academic might also have a stake in the current rate of examination leakages since most candidates wish to enjoy the package.

The association called on WAEC to collaborate effectively with all stake holders and the law enforcement agencies to put in place stringent measures to clamp down on all factors that may lead to the leakage of examination questions and sanction culprits who indulges in these acts to uplift the dwindling fortunes of the council.

The statement further entreated parents, teachers and the students to also eschew the habit of seeking external help during examination as its goes a long way to undermine the integrity of our examinations internationally.

ASSOCIATION OF CATHOLIC TEACHERS(ACT), KUMASI PROVINCE PRESS STATEMENT ISSUED ON 17TH JUNE, 2015 CONCERNING THE CANCELLATION OF SOME PAPERS OF THE ONGOING BECE BY WAEC.

We are hereby issuing this press statement to express our concern about the action taken by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), which is solely responsible for the administration of BECE in the country.

Many people have condemned the action taken by WAEC. The examination body has been blamed for the leakage of the question papers and this association is also adding its voice to the condemnation and blame.

It is time for WAEC to accept its weakness and sit up to redeem its lost image among a section of the public with respect to examination leakages, which was not common in the country some years back.

The association commends WAEC for the prompt action in cancelling the leaked papers but we quickly wish to add that WAEC must also put in place mechanisms to check future leakage of examinations in the country to save its integrity and a lot of public ridicule.

We are of the view that the leakages might have been a result of negligence on the part of WAEC officials and some communities chastising teachers on the poor performance of students after the examination results are released.

We have to add that, ranking of BECE and WASSCE results of schools / Districts and some parent’s anxiety to get certain grades and schools for their wards by fair or foul means might have also contributed in this regard.

It is hoped that, the government’s attempt to introduce the progressively free SHS programme at the start of the 2015 / 2016 academic year might also have a stake in the current rate of examination leakages since most candidates wish to enjoy the package.

The association wishes to call on WAEC to collaborate effectively with all stake holders and the law enforcement agencies to put in place stringent measures to clamp down on all factors that may lead to the leakage of examination questions and sanction culprits who indulge in these acts to uplift the dwindling image of the council.

We further entreat parents, teachers and the students to also eschew the habit of seeking external help during examinations as it goes a long way to undermine the integrity of our examinations internationally.

Long Live Ghana

Long Live WAEC

Long Live BECE Candidates

Long Live ACT

Eric Kyei Williams Boakye-Baafi

Signed Signed

(ACT Provincial Chairman) 0244133693 (ACT Provincial Coordinator) 0208825287

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