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Tag: WAEC

  • WAEC receives syndicate cheating in schools report on ongoing 2022 WASSCE

    The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) says it has followed a number of issues emerging from the conduct of the Ghana only examination, which is currently ongoing.

    It said it has received reports of infringements of the rules and regulations governing the ongoing examination in the areas of impersonation, smuggling of mobile phones into examination halls by candidates, restriction of access to school compounds for monitoring purposes and syndicate cheating in schools.

    WAEC in a statement dated September 2, 2022, signed and issued by the Head of Public Affairs, Mrs Agnes Teye-Cudjoe said it was “working closely with the Ghana Education Service, the National Intelligence Bureau and other security operatives to check infringements of the rules and regulations governing the ongoing examination.”

    “Some hot spots have been identified and monitoring of these centres has been intensified,” it added.

    It has therefore urged all stakeholders to collaborate with it to safeguard the integrity of the examination.

    Below is a copy of the statement

    CONDUCT OF THE WEST AFRICAN SENIOR SCHOOL CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION (WASSCE) FOR SCHOOL CANDIDATES, 2022 EMERGING ISSUES

    The West African Senior School Certificate Examination (Ghana only version), enters its fifth week with the conduct of two core papers, Social Studies and English Language to be administered on 5th and 8th September, 2022 respectively.

    The Council wishes to bring to the attention of stakeholders and members of the public, a number of issues which are emerging from the conduct of the examination.

    1. Restriction of Access to School Compounds for Monitoring Purposes

    Reports reaching the Council indicate that some school authorities have adopted the practice of locking their school gates during the examination period with the aim of preventing WAEC Inspectors and Monitors from gaining access into their school compounds to monitor the examination.

    School authorities, especially those engaged in this act, are directed to desist from the practice as such activities amount to acts of examination irregularities.

    2. Smuggling of Mobile Phones into Examination Halls by Candidates

    A number of candidates have been caught with mobile phones in examination halls.

    Candidates are reminded that their entire results will be cancelled when they are caught with mobile phones in the examination halls. The Council wishes to call upon School Authorities, Supervisors, Invigilators, parents and guardians to ensure that candidates abide by this rule.

    Supervisors and Invigilators are also being reminded of the ban on their use of mobile phones at examination centres.

    3. Impersonation

    Impersonation cases, which hitherto were not being recorded in school examinations are on the increase. Some impersonators have been arrested in
    the ongoing examination and are in the grips of the law.

    Supervisors are directed to deploy the use of the Biometric Verification Device (Vericheck) to identify candidates.

    4. Syndicate Cheating in Schools

    Intelligence has been received of some school authorities collecting monies from candidates and organising syndicate cheating in their schools.

    Perpetrators of these acts are being cautioned to desist from same.

    The Council has the mandate to de-recognise schools caught engaging in this malpractice.

    Candidates identified as having colluded would have their results cancelled.

    The Council is working closely with the Ghana Education Service, the National Intelligence Bureau and other security operatives to check infringements of the rules
    and regulations governing the ongoing examination.

    Some hot spots have been identified and monitoring of these centres has been intensified.

    The Council urges all stakeholders to collaborate with it to safeguard the integrity of the examination.

    Source: Graphiconline

  • WASSCE 2022: WAEC institutes measures to check examination malpractices

    The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has noted that it has instituted security measures to check examination malpractices in the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

    Serialisation of examination questions, collaboration with the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) to monitor the printing of question papers and the use of number combination padlocks in addition to ordinary padlocks for all security bags containing question paper packets, are some of the measures highlighted by the Council to check the practice.

    Also, the Council is working closely with some security agencies to track and arrest dealers and operators of rogue websites.

    Other measures include; the inspection of all depots nationwide and fortification of those that needed to be fortified, ensuring uninterrupted movement of question papers from strong rooms to depots and the creation of additional depots located close to schools to ensure that question papers do not arrive late and are released to candidates early.

    The Head of Public Affairs of WAEC, Agnes Teye-Cudjoe, who outlined these measures at a press conference on August 23, 2022, further noted that: “There will also be naming and shaming of schools that engage in malpractice to serve as a deterrent to others, as well as correspondence to the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service regarding reports received from concerned citizens about the collection of money and plans by certain schools to cheat.

    “There will be continued surveillance of these schools by the council’s team of inspectors and security persons in the course of the examination,” Ms Teye-Cudjoe added.

    About WASSCE

    The WASSCE is a standardised test in West Africa spearheaded by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC). Students who pass the exam receive a certificate confirming their graduation from secondary education. 

    The exam is written by candidates in Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone and The Gambia and Ghana. Although Ghanaian candidates began the exam in August, candidates in the other West African countries started in May, in line with the pre-COVID academic calendar.

    The 2022 WASSCE is being administered to 422,883 candidates from 977 schools in Ghana. There are 673 public schools, an increase from 651 in 2021, and 304 private schools.

    However, the number of private schools has decreased from 314 in 2021 to 304 in 2022 due to the folding up of some of the schools. In all, 775 centres are being used for the examination, with 60 subjects involved, comprising four core and 56 electives for candidates to choose from.

    In line with the efforts to check examination malpractices, Agnes Teye-Cudjoe, noted that question papers will be issued not earlier than 45 minutes before the start of each paper and inspection at “malpractice-prone” areas will be enhanced.

    Participants in the media briefing.

    She, therefore, charged supervisors and invigilators to be guided by the rules of the examination by being vigilant and also refrain from taking their mobile phones into examination halls, saying: “They should not be agents of malpractice, as unfortunately as is the case sometimes.”

    She further called on the media to refrain from putting out unverified information on the conduct of the examination.

    “Let us be careful not to create unnecessary fear and panic among candidates in particular and society in general. This could send wrong signals on the conduct of the examination to the international community,” Mrs Teye-Cudjoe said.

    Mrs Teye-Cudjoe added that the council has made access arrangements for candidates with special needs, including Braille papers for the visually impaired, large print papers for candidates with low vision, additional time for visually and hearing impaired candidates, those with cerebral palsy and candidates with autism disorder.

    There would also be computers for use by candidates with cerebral palsy and those who are not blind but cannot read, she added.

     

  • WAEC releases provisional results for WASSCE 2021

    Provisional results from the West African Examination Council (WAEC) for candidates who sat for the 2021 West African Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) have been released.

    WAEC, according to a statement, said that it will make login details available to heads of schools so that their students are able to access the platform.

    “The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) wishes to announce for the information of the general public that it has released provisional results of candidates, who sat for the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2021 in Ghana. The Council will make available login details to Heads of school to enable them print the statement of results of their candidates. candidates are therefore advised to contact their Heads of school for their results,” the statement said.

    Also, for people looking to individually check their results, WAEC says it has made arrangements for them through a short code system.

    “Meanwhile, the Council has hosted the results online and candidates who so desire, may access their results at the Council’s website or dial the short code *944#,” it said.

    The statement also appealed to all candidates to be on the lookout so they do not fall prey to scammers during this stage.

    “The Council is cautioning all stakeholders especially candidates to be on the alert and not fall prey to the activities of scammers who promise to upgrade results for a fee. Candidates are to note that all WAEC results are secured and can be authenticated. Institutions are therefore urged to always verify results presented to them to expose incidents of forgery,” the statement said.

    In all, a total of 446,352 candidates, made up of 221,439 (49.6 %) males and 224,913 (50.4 %) females from 965 schools entered for the examination.

    This figure is 18.8% higher than the 2020 figure of 375,763. A total of 3,545 (0.79 %) of the candidates who registered were absent from the examination, the statement said.

    Provisional results from the West African Examination Council (WAEC) for candidates who sat for the 2021 West African Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) have been released.

    WAEC, according to a statement, said that it will make login details available to heads of schools so that their students are able to access the platform.

    “The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) wishes to announce for the information of the general public that it has released provisional results of candidates, who sat for the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2021 in Ghana. The Council will make available login details to Heads of school to enable them print the statement of results of their candidates. candidates are therefore advised to contact their Heads of school for their results,” the statement said.

    Also, for people looking to individually check their results, WAEC says it has made arrangements for them through a short code system.

    “Meanwhile, the Council has hosted the results online and candidates who so desire, may access their results at the Council’s website or dial the short code *944#,” it said.

    The statement also appealed to all candidates to be on the lookout so they do not fall prey to scammers during this stage.

    “The Council is cautioning all stakeholders especially candidates to be on the alert and not fall prey to the activities of scammers who promise to upgrade results for a fee. Candidates are to note that all WAEC results are secured and can be authenticated. Institutions are therefore urged to always verify results presented to them to expose incidents of forgery,” the statement said.

    In all, a total of 446,352 candidates, made up of 221,439 (49.6 %) males and 224,913 (50.4 %) females from 965 schools entered for the examination.

    This figure is 18.8% higher than the 2020 figure of 375,763. A total of 3,545 (0.79 %) of the candidates who registered were absent from the examination, the statement said.

    See the full statement here:

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • WASSCE practical paper for Food & Nutrition did not leak WAEC

    The West African Examinations Council (WAEC), says reports about a supposed leakage of the Food and Nutrition Practical paper of the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), are untrue.

    Addressing the media on Monday, August 23, 2021, the Head of the Ghana Council of WAEC, Wendy E. Addy-Lamptey, stressed that “the information put out by EduWatch about the alleged leakage… is untrue, misleading and is creating anxiety among the candidates and our public”.

    The reports about a leak for the August 20 paper were put out by the African Education Watch Executive Director, Kofi Asare, via his Facebook page.

    Mr. Asare claimed at the time that he had reported the leak to WAEC.

    Mrs. Addy-Lamptey explained that guidelines for the Food and Nutrition Practical are however released early to help schools prepare adequately for the practical examination.

    “It is purely to enable the teachers to prepare for the conduct of the actual paper, which was taken on Friday, 20th August,” Mrs. Addy-Lamptey said.

    “The paper clearly contains only guidelines and was already in the public domain, hence we are surprised that somebody picks it up and refers to it as a leaked document,” she added.

    Moving forward, Mrs. Addy-Lamptey urged Ghanaians “to not create unnecessary tension, fear, and panic”.

    “Local and international bodies that use our results for the admission of Ghanaians into tertiary institutions may doubt the credibility of certificates, making the Ghanaian child the ultimate loser.”

    She further indicated that effective mechanisms have been put in place to ensure the administration of a credible examination.

    Past tension with Africa Education Watch

    WAEC considered suing Africa Education Watch earlier in 2021 over a report on its assessment of the 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

    The report alleged a number of irregularities witnessed during the period of the examination.

    But WAEC said the report was fraught with factual inaccuracies and misleading.

    The 2020 WASSCE had some papers leaked before sittings.

    Confidential information on examiners was also leaked, prompting a report to the Cyber Crime Department of the Ghana Police Service by WAEC.

    Source: citinewsroom.com

  • WAEC releases 2020 WASSCE results; cancels papers of 2,383 candidates

    The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has released the provisional results of the 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE),

    According to WAEC, the release follows the completion of all its post-examination processes.

    “The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) wishes to inform its numerous public that it has released provisional results of candidates, who sat for the WASSCE for School candidates, 2020 in Ghana. This follows  the completion of all post-examination processes.”

    “The results of the candidates will be dispatched to their schools,” the statement added.

    WAEC made this known in a statement it issued today, Friday, November 13, 2020.

    Meanwhile, the subject results of some 2,383 have been cancelled.

    This, WAEC explains, is as a result of alleged examination malpractices by those candidates.

    “The subject results of 2,383 candidates have been cancelled for engaging in collusion, bringing foreign materials to the examination hall, and tearing part of their question papers to solicit assistance,” the statement added.

    About 2020 WASSCE

    The 2020 WASSCE commenced on July 20, 2020, and ended on Saturday, September 5.

    The examination was written by 313,897 candidates across the country.

    It began with practical subjects like basketry, painting and woodwork for Visual Arts candidates.

    Despite measures by the WAEC to ensure a smooth process, the examination had its fair share of rumoured question leaks purported to have originated from the Council.

    Some candidates rioted over the strict invigilation at their centres and, in the process, destroyed school property while using unsavoury language against state officials.

    The students who engaged in the unruly behaviour were dismissed by the Ghana Education Service (GES) but President Akufo-Addo intervened and asked that they be given a second chance.

    A total of 375,763 candidates from 976 schools sat for the examination representing “8.6% higher than the 2019 candidates of 346,098. The 2020 entry figure was made up of 187,581 (49.9%) males and 188,182 (50.1%) females.”

    Read the full statement from WAEC below:

    Source: citinewsroom

  • 4 examiners arrested over leakage of WAEC scripts

    Four examiners believed to have carelessly leaked the 2020 West African Examination Council scripts which were entrusted to them have been arrested.

    The four WAEC examiners were picked up from Accra, Cape Coast, Kasoa, and Adukrom after videos and photos of scripts that captured the details of students made rounds on social media.

    The Head of the Public Relations of WAEC, Agnes Teye-Cudjoe in an interview with Graphic described the incident as unfortunate adding that “the scripts, marking schemes and attendance mark sheets should be kept under lock and key anytime an examiner is not working on them.”

    Mrs Teye-Cudjoe entreated all examiners to handle marking schemes, scripts among others as security materials and ensure at all times that they do not “divulge information of candidates as contained in the letter engaging them as examiners.”

    She indicated that investigations revealed that a grandchild or a nephew-in-law to the examiners were behind the circulated videos and snapshots.

    The arrested persons according to the Head of Legal of WAEC, Rev. Victor Brew, would be handed over to the police to be charged and prosecuted under the Data Protection Act alongside WAEC’s rules and regulations on marking rules.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • WAEC sued over leakage of WASSCE examiners details

    A Civil Society Organisation, Africa Education Watch, has sued the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) over the circulation of a list of contact details of examiners for the 2020 WASSCE on social media.

    The plaintiff, in a suit filed at the Accra High Court on Tuesday, September 29, said the “careless” conduct of WAEC could compromise the just ended 2020 WASSCE results.

    In its statement of claim, the plaintiff argued that although WAEC had apologised and assured the public that the leaked list was not the final markers list, an SMS making the rounds suggest that the names on the leaked document had been invited to attend a coordination and conference marking of the 2020 WASSCE scripts.

    This, according to the plaintiff, was an indictment on WAEC and raised credibility and integrity issues about the marking standards of the 2020 WASSCE.

    The plaintiff is therefore praying the court to among other things order WAEC to set aside every purported list, meeting or appointments meant to mark and grade the results of all WAEC examinations until new appointments are made to exclude every name on the leaked documents making rounds in the social media.

    It also wants the court to restrain WAEC, their agents and assigns from purporting to act in any manner that contravenes the laid down rules, regulations and general principles regarding the conduct of external examinations in Ghana.

    Below is the writ of summons and statement of claim

    Source: Graphic.com.gh

  • Arrested BECE supervisors aided in malpractice not leakage – WAEC clarifies

    Authorities at the West African Examination Council (WAEC) have disclosed that the circumstances that led to the arrest of some supervisors in the ongoing Basic Examination Certificate Examination (BECE) as an act of examination malpractice and not an examination leakage.

    There have been reports that the 2020 BECE is not credible because most of the questions have been leaked to candidates writing the exams.

    However, Head of Communications at WAEC, Agnes Tei Cudjoe, in an interview with Starr FM, revealed that the argument of leakages in the BECE does not merit since no authority of WAEC has been identified as giving out questions.

    According to her, the actions taken by the supervisors who were arrested are acts of examination malpractice, also known as external assistance. The supervisors, she said, take screenshots of the questions in the examination hall then go out and solve the questions for candidates.

    “This is not a leakage of questions. This is what we call helping students to gain external assistance because questions will be taken then answers will be brought to students for them to copy,” Agnes Teye Cudjoe told Starr FM.

    She added, “This is an examination malpractice and not an examination leakage. When a candidate brings in a phone into an examination hall it is an examination malpractice.”

    She noted that due to the strict protocols guarding examination questions, people have devised ways to get ahead of the examination council.

    However, she indicated that assisting candidates to cheat in exams does help students prove themselves.

    She said, “This is similar to examination malpractice because this does not allow the students to prove themselves. That is why when we release results, we can say that we have withheld candidate results because we can detect collusion in the scripts of candidates because sometimes when they are copying answers that are brought to them they copy with all errors.”

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Heads of basic schools confirm receipt of PPEs for 2020 BECE

    General Secretary of Conference of Heads of Basic Schools (COHBS), Alex Ackah has confirmed that personal protective equipment (PPEs) for 2020 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates have been delivered to the various regions for distribution.

    In an interview with UniversNews, Mr. Ackah, who is also the Headteacher of Dunkwa Methodist JHS in the Central Region, mentioned that the PPEs were received about a week ago and have since been distributed to candidates.

    He was quick to add that nose masks were yet to be part of the distribution, explaining that they would not want students to come to the exam hall with excuses that they left them at home.

    Mr. Ackah indicated that face masks would rather be distributed to the students at the exam centre.

    “Currently all schools have received their PPEs for the upcoming BECE. For my district, I took it last week and I have distributed it among the students, other districts have called to confirm that they have received their PPE”

    Mr. Ackah added that although the students were writing the exam during the outbreak of the COVID-19 disease, he is confident that the students have been adequately prepared.

    “The children are prepared, they are gingered, they are prepared to write the exams because we have been with them since the reopening and tuition has been going on. Although, it may not be as it was when school operated for full hours; since it is an examination period, we teach for a while and allow them to also practice on their own”

    The 2020 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) would be conducted from 14-18 September 2020 with a total of 531,705 candidates comprising 269,419 males and 262,286 females.

    Candidates are from 17,440 schools and they will write the Examination at 2007 centres.

    Source: universnewsroom.com

  • Well transport BECE candidates in flood-affected towns to exam centre Saboba DCE

    The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Saboba in the Northern Region, George Bigrini, says plans are in place to transport Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates in Kpalba who have been cut-off due to floods, to the exam centre.

    Speaking on Eyewitness News, Mr. Bigrini said the candidates will be conveyed to the centres via buses or canoes if need be.

    “We have made plans to procure vehicles, we are just waiting. We are organising canoes to the Wapulu side. We have a school across the river with a bigger bus at the Wapulu school.  We have made arrangements for the bus. So the plan is that, when we transport them to the other side of the river, the bus will take them to Saboba,” he noted.

    Some students in the Kpalba circuit in the Saboba District have appealed to the government to provide them with a means of crossing over to the district capital, Saboba, where their examination centre is located.

    They fear they may not be able to sit for the BECE beginning on Monday, September 14, 2020, as the roads have become impassable due to the floods.

    “We are afraid of the water bodies here. How are we going to write our first paper on Monday? We are pleading with the District Assembly to either find a means to get us to Soboba or allow us to write the exams in our school,” one of the candidates said.

    “We cannot cross the water to write the exams. If WAEC does not allow us to write in our school, we will miss out on the BECE,” another candidate said.

    Background

    Torrential rains in the northern part of Ghana coupled with spillage from the Bagre dam in Burkina Faso left hundreds of farmlands submerged.

    The Pwalugu bridge is also flooded to the waist level covering over a 1-km stretch of road.

    Six lives have been lost due to this.

    Almost every year, the flood gates of the Bagre dam are opened and this usually affects residents along the White and Black Volta rivers.

    Spillage of excess water from the dam is as part of a routine safety measure to ensure that the water is kept below the safe operating level of the dam in order to prevent it from collapsing.

    Source: citinewsroom

  • Students in Northern Region fear missing out on BECE over floods

    Some students in the Kpalba circuit in the Saboba District of the Northern Region fear being unable to sit for the 2020 edition of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) due to the flooding issue in the area.

    According to the BECE candidates, centres where they are supposed to write the exams have become impassable due to the floods.

    About 200 candidates who are to sit for the BECE beginning Monday, September 14, 2020, fear they may not be able to participate in the final examination if the flood does not recede.

    They are thus calling on the government to either provide them with means of crossing over to Saboba, should the situation persist, or allow them to take the exams in their schools.

    “We are afraid of the water bodies here. How are we going to write our first paper on Monday? We are pleading with the District Assembly to either find a means to get us to Soboba or allow us to write in our school,” one of the students pleaded.

    “We cannot cross the water and go and write the exams. If WAEC does not allow us to write in our school, we will miss out on the BECE,” another candidate said.

    What happened?

    Torrential rainfall in the Northern part of Ghana coupled with spillage from the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso left hundreds of farmlands submerged.

    The bridge was flooded to the waist level covering over 1-km stretch of road.

    Six lives have been lost due to this.

    Almost every year, the flood gates of the Bagre dam are opened and this usually affects residents along the White and Black Volta rivers.

    Spillage of excess water from the dam is as part of a routine safety measure to ensure that the water is kept below the safe operating level of the dam in order to prevent it from collapsing.

    Source: citinewsroom

  • 2020 BECE: GES, WAEC promise to ensure sanctity of examination at all times

    The 2020 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) will start from Monday, September 14th 2020 to Friday, September 18th 2020 at all designated centres throughout the country.

    The Ghana Education Service (GES) has therefore urged all candidates, Directors of schools and invigilators to take note of the dates.

    It has also cautioned students to desist from all forms of examination malpractice during the period.

    Meanwhile, the Management of GES in collaboration with WAEC have stated that it will ensure sanctity of examination at all times, ensuring that students who engaged in any form of malpractices are dealt with accordingly.

    “Management of GES in collaboration with WAEC will ensure sanctity of examination at all times. All cases of reported examination malpractices will swiftly be investigated and dealt with decisively,” the GES stated.

    Source: Atinka Online

  • Coronavirus: How students who have completed WASSCE will return home

    The Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) have jointly issued a guideline for the exit of students who have just completed the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and are returning home Friday, September 4, 2020 after a successful examination.

    Under the guidelines, any school where no positive case of COVID-19 has been recorded, the students can vacate and go home.

    Additionally, any school that recorded a positive case but has not reported any new positive case within the last two weeks, the students can vacate and go home, reports Graphic Online’s Severious Kale Dery on the Education Desk.

    This is contained in a statement jointly signed by the Director-General of the GES, Prof Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa and the Director-General of the GES Dr Patrick Kuma Aboagye and issued in Accra Thursday, September 3, 2020.

    After months of uncertainty and apprehension arising out of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, Senior high schools (SHSs) reopened to final-year students on June 22 for them to undergo six weeks of academic work up to July 31, 2020.

    That enabled them to prepare to write their final examination between August 3 and September 4, this year.

    The 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) finally kicked off for Ghanaian candidates in July.

    In all, 375,737 candidates from 976 schools took part in the examination at 796 centres throughout the country.

    Out of the figure, about 188,163 were females, while the remaining 187,573 were males.

    more to follow…

    Source: Graphic.com.gh

  • WAEC releases time table for BECE

    The Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) would begin on Monday, September 14, 2020, and end on Friday, September 18, 2020, in all the Registration Centers across the country for all Junior High School (JHS) final year students.

    The candidates will write the English Language, and Religious and Moral Education (RME) on Monday, Integrated Science, and Basic Design and Technology (BDT) on Tuesday.

    Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and French will be written on Wednesday with Mathematics, Ghanaian Language and Culture on Thursday and Social Studies on Friday.

    According to the Time Table issued to Headteachers and copied to the Ghana News Agency, the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has confirmed that visually and hearing-impaired candidates should be allowed one and half times the time allotted to other candidates.

    Meanwhile, both papers for each Subject are to be taken at one sitting without break and where the duration indicated on the question paper differs from that on the time table, the one on the question paper should be followed.

    Following the re-opening of schools for final year students in JHS, SHS, and tertiary institutions, the management of the Ghana Education Service (GES) revised the examination date which was usually conducted in June each year.

    The BECE is used by the GES to select qualified candidates for senior high schools (SHSs) and Technical Institutes (TIs) across the country.

    The results of the examination are based on Continuous Assessment and the external examination with the Continuous Assessment forming 30% whilst the external examination would form 70% of the total assessment.

    Candidates in the third year of Junior High Schools approved by the Ghana Education Service are eligible to register to take part in this examination.

    Source: GNA

  • WAEC publishes names of 13 suspected 2019 WASSCE cheats

    The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has published the names and index numbers of 13 persons suspected to have been involved in examination malpractices during the 2019 West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for Private Candidates.

    The 13 suspects are to visit the Accra Office of the WAEC between August 26-28, 2020, to clear their names.

    In a public notice, WAEC said they are to assist the Council to conclude its investigations into alleged irregularities.

    “Candidates are being informed that their refusal to honour this invitation shall not prevent the Council from making a final determination in the matter,” the notice said.

    The 13 include; Kwayie Danquah Ama, Addison Owusu, Ernestina, Portia Armah, Aidoo Janet Danquah, Kwateng Pamela, Lilian Debrah Mensah, Ansah Kwaku Isaac Asempa and Spendilove Ahyemang Duah.

    The rest are; Agbeko Ebenezer Kobena, Adimah Elizabeth, Cobbina Aaron, Addaebi Ishmael and Cobbina Clement.

    Below are the names and index numbers of the 13

    Source: Graphic.com.gh

  • Only university vice chancellors, college principals can solve WAEC’s problem – Educationist

    Renowned Ghanaian educationist, Counsellor Daniel Fenyi, says he does not support the call for the cancellation of the ongoing ‘apor’-fraught WASSCE.

    According to him, the students should be allowed to continue to write the assignment of a WASSCE in peace.

    Many well-intentioned persons and institutions, including the Minority in Parliament, Manasseh Azure, NUGS, IMANI, and Kofi Asare’s Education Watch, have called on WAEC to consider cancelling the ongoing WASSCE ’20, or at least, some specific subjects.

    But, counsellor Daniel Fenyi asserts that Ghanaians should generally be even tired of calling on WAEC to cancel examinations since leakages of WASSCE questions happen almost every year.

    The “leakage” argument, according to counsellor, should be taken higher and calls on Vice Chancellors, Principals, and Heads of tertiary institutions to stop this menace, if they want to. He rhetorically asks, “what if all tertiary institutions and all other places, where the students can take the ‘toilet-paper’ worth certificate to, are encouraged to conduct entrance examinations before admissions?”

    Counsellor said that “Vice-Chancellors, Principals and Rectors should not behave as if they don’t know what’s happening at the SHS level in this country. They should also take action. WASSCE certificates nowadays, especially, do not reflect the bearer’s academic ability. Their silence and mass admission into the Tertiary is a question on their credibility”.

    Counsellor believes that “University Common Entrance Examination (UCEE)” is the appropriate solution to WAEC’s discredited WASSCE. To him, when the students know that after WASSCE, they still have to write UCEE, they will not kill themselves over “apor” anymore.

    Counsellor Daniel Fenyi insinuates that after decades of fighting for decency in the country’s pre-tertiary external examinations, it’s high time Ghanaians focused on approaching the menace from the angle of tertiary institutions.

    When the students themselves realise that WASSCE certificates are worthless, they will reject every ‘apor.

    Source: Daniel Arkoh Fenyi, Contributor

  • WAEC reportedly reveals names of 13 suspected WASSCE cheats

    Thirteen persons suspected to have engaged in examination malpractices during the 2019 West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for private candidates have been identified.

    The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) on Thursday published the names and index numbers of the 13 persons, adding they must turn themselves in at the Accra office of the WAEC between August 26-28, 2020 to clear their names.

    In a public notice, WAEC said they are to assist the Council to conclude its investigations into alleged irregularities.

    “Candidates are being informed that their refusal to honour this invitation shall not prevent the Council from making a final determination in the matter,” the notice said.

    They Kwayie Danquah Ama, Addison Owusu Ernestina, Portia Armah, Aidoo Janet Danquah, Kwateng Pamela, Lilian Debrah Mensah, Ansah Kwaku Isaac Asempa and Spendilove Ahyemang Duah.

    The rest are; Agbeko Ebenezer Kobena, Adimah Elizabeth, Cobbina Aaron, Addaebi Ishmael and Cobbina Clement.

    Source: Daily Mai

  • 2020 WASSCE leak: Reduce human interface, deploy more technology – GNAT

    The General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Thomas Tanko Musah, has called on the West African Examination Council (WAEC) to reduce the number of persons who come in contact with the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) questions to reduce the recurrence of leakages.

    Speaking to GhanaWeb in an exclusive interview, Mr. Musah who condemned the practice called for stricter measures to clamp down on persons behind the act.

    He added that WAEC should also tighten all the loopholes in the supply chain of exams questions.

    “WAEC has deployed several systems that can detect leakages…the most important thing is to reduce the human interface with the supply chain of the exams questions. We need to reduce it to the barest minimum and when the leakage happens the onus will lie on the people in whose hands we committed the papers to so that they know that when anything goes wrong they will not be spared.”

    According to reports, the Social Studies, Core Mathematics, and Chemistry Practical examinations questions were leaked on social media ahead of time.

    Ghana experiences exams leakages despite efforts to fight it. It is, however, unclear the source of the leaked questions. There has been an increasing call for exam body to ensure top-notch security in their ‘strong room’ to prevent exams-leakages.

    According to the General Secretary of GNAT, it has become necessary more than ever to bring to book persons who are found culpable of the crime.

    He is of the view that “we have not been punishing these people enough, what you hear is the cancellation of exams. If someone has been entrusted with things at WAEC, and the person leaks the exams, I think they should be handed the severest punishment because the person is certainly not patriotic.”

    Adding: “If people are found culpable especially in the supply chain of questions, there should be a severe punishment that will serve as a deterrent to people who will try to engage in that.”

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • WASSCE: Bright SHS proprietor charged amid calls to shutdown school

    Owner of Bright Senior High School (SHS) at Akyem Kukurantumi in the Eastern Region is set to be arraigned before a court following the disturbances that erupted in the school during the ongoing West Africa School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

    Mr. Bright Amponsah has been charged with abetment of crime to wit assault, assault, and causing damage, police in the Eastern Region has said.

    His crime led to the assault of some officials of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and a journalist. He is said to have incited the students against them.

    The Proprietor, who was arrested and subsequently granted bail together with four other teachers of the school on Monday, August 10, 2020, reported at the Koforidua Divisional Command to further assist with investigations.

    The Koforidua Divisional Commander, Chief Superintendent Kofi Adzie Tuadzra, who led the initial operation told Citi News the proprietor will soon be arraigned.

    “We picked up the proprietor and we began our investigation into the allegations that he mobilized students to assault WAEC officials. The case was left with the Tafo District Headquarters. They have carried out investigations and today the parties were brought here to know the way forward and by this weekend, we will know whether they will be taken to court.”

    “We are still doing investigations. As and when we find out that there is enough evidence to support the charges against them, we will know whether we will take them to court. But when we are done, we will definitely go to court”, he noted.

    While students of the school have been given a different examination centre, security has been beefed up at all centres to prevent any eventuality.

    Akyem Abuakwa Chiefs want Bright SHS closed down

    In a related development, pressure is already mounting on the Ghana Education Service and other stakeholders to close down the school.

    The Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council, which is leading the charge said in a statement through the state secretary Daniel Marfo Ofori Atta also called for the arrest and prosecution of the proprietor.

    Read the full statement below:

    DEMAND FOR THE CLOSURE OF BRIGHT SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

    It is the well-considered opinion of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council to hold up to its responsibility in relation to the affairs of the Bright Senior High School situated at Kukurantumi in the Abuakwa North District of the Eastern Region. Particular emphasis is the conduct over the past decade of the proprietor of the school, a certain Bright Amponsah.

    This statement is provoked by the incident of examination fraud of grave significance in direct relation to the assault of Mr. Gyan Mensah and Damolie Emmanuel Pacome, an official of the West African Examination Council and a reporter or the Daily Graphic respectively in their lawful duties to insist on fair conduct of WASSCE examination.

    The assault was instigated and ordered under the misdirection of Bright Amponsah, the proprietor of the rogue Bright Senior High School which for over a decade has been engaged in ultra-commercial and profiteering aims which runs against the established interest of the educational policy and integrity of the public examination.

    The above is not an isolated incident; it confirms several reports of corrupt and exploitative motives of Bright Senior High School.

    Of more importance to this matter and of illustrative and evidential significance is his bribery of certain officers of the West African Examination Council over the past decade.

    This situation is proven by the honesty of Mr. Gyan Mensah who decided not to bow to the filthy temple of indecency and corruption.

    The Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council takes this matter seriously.

    I am directed to express publicly that the results of the exam from the rogue Bright SHS are falsified.

    It has become evident that 90% of graduands of the Bright SHS drop out of public universities in their first year due to their lack of ability to meet the intellectual and academic demands of tertiary institutions.

    The Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council is most concerned with the fact of the abuse and degradation of its young mind and regrettably is unable to tolerate this situation.

    The Council finds the liberal attitude of public authorities on this matter as a radical deviation from a responsible attitude in terms of enforcement of the public policy.

    Also to the above, it has been noted that Bright SHS in terms of admission process and curriculum is in violation of all the protocols and regulatory measures of the Ghana Education Service. This point is proven without a doubt.

    The Council directs its decision in relation as stated above to live up to its customary responsibility to defend the interest of the youth and ensure integrity in public life.

    Further are reports of sexual abuse, which for the sake of lack of evidence I am not directed to relate.

    Finally, I am instructed by the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council and on the august permission of His Majesty Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin on the following measures divorced from any compromise:

    The closure of the Bright Senior High School with immediate effect.

    The arrest of Bright Amponsah, the proprietor of Bright Senior High School, and his immediate prosecution.

    On humanitarian grounds and fatherly consideration, the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council will assist in the rehabilitation of affected students; this is in consideration of their immediate and best interest.

    Further, a thorough investigation of the operations of Bright SHS over the last decade with particular concern with its dealings with certain officers of the West African Examination Council WAEC

    Also, to be emphasized and insisted, comprehensive auditing of the academic and social situation of Bright SHS by the GES and the police.

    D.M. OFORI-ATTA, STATE SECRETARY

     

    Source: Daily Mail

  • Okyenhene demands closure of Bright SHS, proprietor arrested

    Akeyem Abuakwa Traditional Council has written to the Minister of Education, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, demanding the immediate closure of Bright Senior High School located at Kukurantumi.

    The school was the scene of violent attacks on invigilators and a journalist during the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

    The attack was allegedly instigated and ordered by Bright Amponsah, proprietor, who is said to have gotten furious because the invigilators, all staff of the Ghana Education Service, were being too strict on the WASSCE candidates.

    According to a statement issued under the hand of D.M. Ofori-Atta, the Secretary to Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, the violent incident confirms several reports of corrupt and exploitative activities of Bright Senior High School.

    “Of more importance to this matter and of illustrative and evidential significance is his bribery of certain officers of the West African Examination Council over the past decade,” the statement said.

    Mr Ofori-Atta said in the statement that the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council, backed by the permission of His Majesty Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, wants the Ministry of Education and allied agencies to take the following measures without compromise:

    – The closure of the Bright Senior High School with immediate effect.

    -The arrest of Bright Amponsah, the proprietor of Bright Senior High School and his immediate prosecution.

    – On humanitarian grounds and fatherly consideration, the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council will assist in the rehabilitation of affected students; this is in consideration of their immediate and best interest.

    – A thorough investigation of the operations of Bright SHS over the last decade with particular concern with its dealings with certain officers of the West African Examination Council WAEC.

    PUBLIC STATEMENT

    For immediate release

    DEMAND FOR THE CLOSURE OF BRIGHT SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

    10th August, 2020

    It is the well-considered opinion of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council to hold up to its responsibility in relation to the affairs of the Bright Senior High School situated at Kukurantumi in the Abuakwa North District of the Eastern Region. Particular emphasis is the conduct over the past decade of the proprietor of the school, a certain Bright Amponsah.

    This statement is provoked by the incident of examination fraud of grave significance in direct relation to the assault of Mr. Gyan Mensah and Damolie Emmanuel Pacome, an official of the West African Examination Council and a reporter or the Daily Graphic respectively in their lawful duties to insist on a fair conduct of WASSCE examination.

    The assault was instigated and ordered under the misdirection of Bright Amponsah, the proprietor of the rogue Bright Senior High School which for over a decade has been engaged in ultra-commercial and profiteering aims which runs against the established interest of the educational policy and integrity of public examination.

    The above is not an isolated incident; it confirms several reports of corrupt and exploitative motive of Bright Senior High School.

    Of more importance to this matter and of illustrative and evidential significance is his bribery of certain officers of the West African Examination Council over the past decade.

    This situation is proven by the honesty of Mr. Gyan Mensah who decided not bow to the filthy temple of indecency and corruption.

    The Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council takes this matter seriously.

    I am directed to express publicly that the exams results from the rogue Bright SHS are falsified.

    It has become evident that 90% of graduands of the Bright SHS drop out of public universities in their first year due to their lack of ability to meet the intellectual and academic demands of tertiary institutions.

    The Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council is most concerned with the fact of the abuse and degradation of its young mind, and regrettably is unable to tolerate this situation.

    The Council finds the liberal attitude of public authorities on this matter as radical deviation from responsible attitude in terms of enforcement of public policy.

    Also to the above, it has been noted that Bright SHS in terms of admission process and curriculum is in violation of all the protocols and regulatory measures of the Ghana Education Service. This point is proven without doubt.

    The Council directs its decision in relation as stated above to live up to its customary responsibility to defend the interest of the youth and ensure integrity in public life.

    Further are reports of sexual abuse, which for the sake of lack of evidence I am not directed to relate.

    Finally, I am instructed by the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council and on the august permission of His Majesty Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin on the following measures divorced from any compromise:

    -The closure of the Bright Senior High School with immediate effect.

    -The arrest of Bright Amponsah, the proprietor of Bright Senior High School and his immediate prosecution.

    – On humanitarian grounds and fatherly consideration, the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council will assist in the rehabilitation of affected students; this is in consideration of their immediate and best interest.

    Further, a thorough investigation of the operations of Bright SHS over the last decade with particular concern with its dealings with certain officers of the West African Examination Council WAEC.

    Also, to be emphasized and insisted, a comprehensive auditing of the academic and social situation of Bright SHS by the GES and the police.

    ……………………. D.M. OFORI-ATTA STATE SECRETARY

    THE HON. MINISTER FOR EDUCATION MINISTRIES ACCRA CC: The Director General. Ghana Education Service.

    The Director General West African Examinations Council

    Eastern Regional Police Commander Koforidua

     

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Akufo-Addo’s directive to GES to allow dismissed students write WASSCE good – Educationist

    Educationist and psychologist Mr. Samuel Richard Ziggah says the directive by President Akufo-Addo to the Ghana Education Service (GES) to allow the dismissed 14 students write their exams is a step in the right direction.

    GES last week issued a statement dismissing 14 students following recent acts of indiscipline and vandalism recorded in the ongoing West African Senior High School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

    The students were also barred from writing their remaining exams organized by the West African Examination Council (WAEC).

    GES in its statement said the punishment was to “serve as a deterrent and to ensure that life and property are protected in schools”.

    But Mr. Ziggah in his view said the punishment was done in a rush and did not correspond with what the students did.

    He, has, therefore, commended the president for the directive he gave.

    Speaking on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm, Mr. Ziggah added the directive was not shocking because if it had not come, Ghanaians would have demanded for more answers.

    Meanwhile, he has alleged the students misbehaved because they were promised that they would be given the questions and even if they should fail, they would be passed.

    To him, authorities should have probed further before sanctioning the students.

    He said it was below the belt for the students to insult the president but they did what they did based on examples set by politicians who engage in insults in the media.

    He advised politicians to desist from engaging in politics of insults so they set good examples for our children.

    He has also asked for the GES to employ the services of counselors to counsel the students over the incident.

     

    Source: rainbownradioonline.com

  • Students involved in Ndewura Jakpa SHTS destruction to be surcharged MCE

    Students of the Ndewura Jakpa Senior High Technical School in the West Gonja Municipal Assembly of the Savannah Region who participated in the destruction of school properties during a protest are to pay for the damages caused.

    The students demonstrated last Wednesday evening against school authorities because of the strict social distancing and invigilation procedure implemented in the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

    In the process, some students damaged the new six-unit school block which was built to help end the double-track system for the school.

    The West Gonja Municipal Chief Executive, Saeed Muhazu Gibril said the rampaging students will be duly punished after an internal investigation is completed.

    He also added that the students found culpable will be made known to the Ghana Education Service for further action to be taken against them.

    “Those who are going to be found culpable for their involvement in the demonstration and destruction of government property are going to be surcharged. Apart from that, when we finish our investigation, we will forward the names to the GES headquarters for further action to be taken against these students. We are not mincing words on this because the extent of damage they did to school property, you cannot ask the central government to come and do the renovation,” he said.

    The rampaging students first destroyed the lightening system and plunged the whole school into darkness last Wednesday.

    Parts of the ceiling of a new six-unit classroom block that was handed over to the school to end double-track system were also removed.

    It took the intervention of the police to stop the students from causing further destruction in the school.

     

    Source: citinewsroom 

  • Sack final year SHS students involved in reckless violence from boarding house GES

    Heads of the various Senior High Schools(SHSs) where final year students have been engaged in misconduct over “strict invigilation” and “social distance” at examinations halls have been directed to deboardnize all students found culpable.

    According to the Ghana Education Service(GES), the deboardnized students will have to commute from their homes to the various schools under parental supervision.

    Also, Headmasters of these schools have been directed to report all forms of criminality to the Ghana Police Service for investigations to be conducted and punishment meted out where necessary.

    The Service has also ordered that students established to be involved in the destruction of school property should be surcharged.

    The Ghana Education Service in its statement called on parents to speak to their wards to maintain high level of discipline and comportment because pleas for mitigation will not be accepted by the various schools.

     

    Source: My News GH

  • Height of indiscipline, insubordination and disrespect by SHS students must be condemned by all – Ablakwa

    Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has condemned the rude behaviour and vulgar language by some Senior High School (SHS) students towards President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo after writing their first final examination paper.

    Lots of videos went viral on social media days ago showing some students in various SHSs insulting the President because they relied on leaked examination questions which didn’t appear in their actual exams.

    The students, who are beneficiaries of the President’s free SHS programme, were disappointed that they couldn’t write their exams satisfactorily.

    With some of them demonstrating and vandalizing school properties, others also blamed the President for not helping them amidst fears they will fail the exams and so used unpalatable words on the First Gentleman of the land.

    Hon. Okudzeto Ablakwa, addressing the issue, has cautioned his fellow legislators, politicians and the entire nation not to condone the student’s insubordination.

    “Vandalizing school property & insulting the President because you are not pleased with your exams must be the height of indiscipline, insubordination & disrespect which must be condemned by all. Education is not just about passing exams, it is more about shaping good character,” he tweeted.

     

    Source: Peace FM

  • Tweneboa Kodua SHS students apologise to school authorities, government for riot

    Final year students of the Tweneboa Kodua Senior High School in the Ashanti Region have rendered an unqualified apology to school authorities and government following a protest on campus.

    The riot which resulted in the destruction of properties was allegedly caused by the strict supervision of the headteacher of the school, during the writing of the WASSCE Integrated Science paper.

    Mr. John Asante had also been accused of manhandling some students and teachers during the exams.

    In a video circulating on social media, the students had threatened to boycott the exams if their headteacher is not removed from the examination hall.

    While the boys marched to the office of the District Chief Executive (DCE), the girls who stayed on campus refused to take food served at the dining hall.

    The police were subsequently called in to restore calm as the protest nearly halted the writing of Paper 2 of the Integrated Science exam.

    But in a new video that has gone viral, some students could be seen on their knees while a male colleague apologises for their behaviour which has been widely condemned.

    “On behalf of the entire students, I want to apologise first to the entire teaching staff, non-teaching staff, assistant headmaster, District Chief Executive, District Police Commander, Education Directorate and our dear headmaster. We are very sorry,” he said.

     

    Source: myjoyonline 

  • WASSCE candidates clash with invigilators at Akyem Kukurantumi

    Some candidates in the ongoing West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination have clashed with invigilators at Bright SHS in Akyem Kukurantumi over alleged intimidation.

    The swift intervention by armed police personnel from Akyem Tafo and Some BNI officials helped restore calm Thursday morning.

    According to the students, the special deployment of external invigilators supervising the examination have been very strict disallowing them to even go out to urinate.

    The students say the situation is affecting them psychologically hence unable to write the exams

    Meanwhile, there is similar tension building up at Only Believe Senior High Technical School, a private school in Akyem Kukurantumi over similar alleged intimidation .

    A little over 1,000 candidates are sitting the exams in the school. Some of the students on Wednesday protested against the situation.

    On Thursday they went beserk after the Social Studies paper and deflated the car tyre of an Invigilator identified as Mr. Acheampong in charge of a car with registration number AS 1471-X.

    Mr. Acheampong who is a registration officer in the ongoing Voters register abandoned his invigilation post.

    The private schools are alleging the deployment of many invigilators to their schools has political undertones.

    They believe it is an attempt by government to make private schools unattractive to discourage patronage by students not happy with quality of Education in Public Schools.

    “We are not happy about the deployment of many external invigilators to private schools on how they are intimidating our students. Psychologically it is affecting the students and we think it is politics just to influence performance of private schools to make it unattractive for Public Schools enjoying Free SHS to have glory”.

     

    Source: Starr FM

  • You concentrate on fake leaked WASSCE question paper at your own peril GES to candidates

    The Ghana Education Service (GES) has dismissed claims that a question paper in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) was deliberately leaked.

    In a statement signed by the Head of Public Relations Unit, Cassandra Twum Ampofo, the GES stated emphatically that the said leaked questions in circulation are bogus.

    The body advised the public to disregard all allegations that the questions were leaked to ensure the candidate excel in their exams.

    “Management of GES wishes to assure all candidates and the general public that the said question paper making the rounds is fake. Indeed, there is no WASSCE subject written by Ghanaian candidates called General paper.”

    “Management further assures the candidates and the general public that the examinations are being managed by responsible men and women who will never sacrifice the integrity of the examinations for any other expediency,” the statement said.

    All candidates were warned against concentrating on this question paper at the peril of their preparations.

    The Service has measures have been put in place to track those behind the supposed leaked fake question papers.

    The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has also described as fake the images of papers circulating on social media purported to be for upcoming Integrated Science examination.

    The WASSCE started Monday, July 20, across the country after over a month of preparation in school.

    President Akufo-Addo recalled final year students to school to study for their respective exit examinations.

    This was met with various criticism considering the outbreak and spread of Covid-19 in some schools shortly after the reopening.

     

    Source: myjoyonline 

  • Integrated Science exam papers on social media are fake – WAEC

    The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) says the Integrated Science One and Two papers circulating on social media are fake.

    “The council wishes to allay the fears of all stakeholders especially candidates about the alleged leakage of papers.

    A scrutiny of the alleged images being shared on social media indicates once again the activities of certain individuals mainly operators of rogue websites and alleged WhatApp groups aimed at leading candidates astray and discredit the council, “the multi national examination body said.

    A statement issued and signed by Mrs Agnes Teye-Cudjoe, Head, Public Affairs, National Office of WAEC, said the council, “Is very vigilant and has alerted the BNI, CID and National Security about the threats posed by these groups.”

    The statement assured all stakeholders that it all necessary measures were in place to ensure the smooth conduct of WASSCE for candidates.

    The Council urged candidates to stay focused, continue with their preparation for the examination and comply with the COVID-19 protocols in order to stay safe during the Period of the exams.

    The Council further cautioned stakeholders to be circumspect in putting out information on the exams.

     

    Source: GNA

  • 313,837 SHS finalists start writing WASSCE today across Ghana

    The West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) is set to begin today, July 20, 2020.

    It commences amid concerns about health protocols in place to ensure containment of the spread of the novel coronavirus.

    The timetable which was submitted to the Ministry of Education indicates that the examination will begin today, with Project Work for Visual Arts candidates, while the theory papers will start from August 3, 2020, until September 5, 2020, when the examination will be brought to an end with Principles of Cost Accounting and Technical Drawing.

    In all, 60 subjects, made up of four core and 56 elective subjects, have been made available to the candidates.

    It will last for a period of five-weeks.

    The subjects cover the seven programmes offered at senior high schools (SHS), namely, General Arts, General Science, Business, Agricultural Science, Visual Arts, Home Economics and Technical Skills.

    Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo has extended his best wishes to the candidates.

    The President in a statement admonished the importance of education to development highlighting the need to ensure continuous education in the midst of Covid-19.

    “I send best wishes to the three hundred and thirteen thousand, eight hundred and thirty-seven (313,837) final year Senior High School students, who will from Monday, 20th July, take the West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE),” he said via Twitter on Sunday.

     

    Source: Myjoyonline.com  

  • WAEC timetable: 2020 WASSCE begins July 20

    The West African Examination Council has released a fresh timetable for the 2020 West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination.

    This comes after WAEC submitted the timetable to the Ministry of Education and the examination would commence from Monday, July 20, 2020, with Project Work for Visual Arts candidates, while the theory papers will start from August 3, 2020, until September 5, 2020, when the five-week-long examination will be brought to an end with Principles of Cost Accounting and Technical Drawing.

    Mrs. Wendy Enyonam Addy-Lamptey, the Head of the Ghana National Office of WAEC, said the dateline for the WASSCE had already been decided on with the Ghana Education.

    In all, 60 subjects, made up of four core and 56 elective subjects, have been made available to the candidates.

    The subjects cover the seven programmes offered at senior high school (SHS), namely, General Arts, General Science, Business, Agricultural Science, Visual Arts, Home Economics, and Technical.

    Ahead of releasing the timetable, WAEC had been concerned about the number of rogue website operators who were peddling false information from fake websites flooded with fake timetables, fake examination question papers, and other examination-related information.

    Mrs. Addy-Lamptey in an interview with the Daily Graphic cautioned candidates preparing for the WASSCE, to be wary of operators of such rogue websites.

    She said ever since the President announced guidelines for the gradual reopening of schools for final-year students, such websites which had initially disappeared had been resurfacing.

    Mrs. Addy-Lamptey described those websites and their activities as the greatest threat to the credibility of the certificates issued by WAEC and, therefore, advised candidates to “desist from dealing with such websites and feel free to contact WAEC offices or contact the WAEC website: www.waecgh.org, for any assistance”.

    Some of the rogue websites, as identified by WAEC, include “WAEC Exams Room”, “WAEC Seekers Exams Leaks”, “WAEC Past Examination”, “WASSCE Results Upgrade WAEC for 2020”, “West Africa Exams Links” and “WAEC Secret Room”, “WAEC Spark WAEC”, “Ghana Education News”, “WAEC Update”, “WAEC 2020”, “WAEC Authentic Hub”, “WAEC Ghana” and “WAEC Union”.

    The Head of the Ghana National Office of the WAEC asked for the collective support of parents, invigilators, supervisors, and all those who had a role to play in the writing of the WASSCE to help ensure that “we have a credible examination.”

    Source: pulse.com.gh

  • Coronavirus: WAEC to organise independent WASSCE for Ghana alone

    Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, the Minister of Information, has said the West African Examination Council (WAEC) has indicated its readiness to organise an independent West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for Ghanaian candidates due to the threat of the Coronavirus pandemic.

    In response to the growing health concern about the COVID-19, WAEC in March, which comprises of Nigeria, Ghana, The Gambia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, decided to put on hold the conduct of WASSCE for candidates, earlier scheduled to commence on April 6, 2020.

    Schools and universities are to be re-opened for final year students from Monday, June 15, 2020.

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in a televised address to the nation on Sunday, May 31, 2020, said final year students in junior high, senior high, and universities can resume classes and lectures ahead of the conduct of their respective final examinations.

    “Indeed, final year university students are to report to their universities on 15th June, final year senior high school (SHS 3) students together with SHS 2 gold track students on 22nd June and final-year junior high school (JHS 3) students on 29th June,” he stated.

    The Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah in an interview on Accra based Citi FM, when asked on how WASSCE candidates in Ghana alone were going to take their exams after WAEC suspended the exams for the entire West African region, he said the examination body would provide support for countries that would want to organise their independent examinations.

    The Minister explained that because Ghana had been able to bring the disease under control, it would organise the exams for its final year students with the support of WAEC.

     

    Source: pulse.com.gh

  • 2020 BECE for private candidates commences today

    The 2020 edition of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) for private candidates begins today, Monday, February 10, 2020 across the country.

    It will end on Friday, February 14, 2020.

    2,154 students made up of 1,210 males and 944 females are expected to take part in this examination.

    Officials of the exam body West African Examination Council (WAEC) have said that 11 centres are to be used for the exams.

    Only candidates who previously sat for BECE but could not make the required grade(s) and first-time candidates who must be 16 years and above are allowed to sit for the examination.

    The Council has already wished all candidates success in their papers and urged the supervisors and invigilators to be vigilant during the examination.

     

    About BECE for private candidates

    The examination is for both certification and selection into Senior High Schools and Technical Institutes in Ghana.

    The examination is conducted in the regional capitals of Ghana in February each year.

     

    Source: citinewsroomÂ