WAEC’s Success Story So Far

The 2016 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) began throughout the country on Monday, June 13 and is expected to end today, Friday, June 17.

Available statistics indicate that 461,013 candidates from 14,267 public and private Junior High Schools are taking part in the exams. Since the start of the exams on Monday, there has not been any report of leakage, as it happened in the previous years.

This is clearly attributable to the improved security measures put in place by the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC), after last year's exam papers were leaked during the conduct of the examination. The Chronicle understands that apart from thorough body search, the students were also not allowed to enter the examination halls with their mobile phones.

The Chronicle is further informed that WAEC did not allow the 1,598 supervisors and 1,515 assistant supervisors of the examination to go to the various exams centres with their mobile phones. The keys to sacks holding the various examination papers were also kept away from the security personnel keeping watch over the papers.

All these security measures have contributed to the success that WAEC has so far chalked in the conduct of this year's exams. Ghana is gradually becoming an education 'Mecca' in the West African sub region.

There are thousands of students from neighbouring countries and beyond who are pursuing various courses at our various private and state owned universities. This means that the high standard of our education is being recognized by our neighbours.

It is based on this, that The Chronicle was alarmed when the BECE papers were leaked last year. Though some of the affected papers were cancelled, it still cast a slur on the value of certificates issued by WAEC to the outside world.

Some of the universities outside, especially those in America and Europe, could have also used that as the basis to reject the admission of Ghanaian students who want to pursue various disciplines.

Apart from this, exams leakage and subsequent cancellation of the affected papers also traumatises the children who did not involve themselves in any examination malpractices. Not all the students would have the courage to go back to the classroom, study and come back to rewrite the papers.

Again, not all parents would have the financial wherewithal to support their wards to write the exams again. All what we have enumerated mean that anytime exams papers are leaked, it has dire consequences on our educational system.

But the success story in the conduct this year's examination has given Ghanaians the assurance that all is not lost and that certificates issued by the WAEC is based on merit and not through any foul means.

It is the hope of The Chronicle that WAEC officials will replicate this year's success story in all future examinations to fully regain the confidence Ghanaians and the outside world have in them. We also implore parents to complement the efforts of WAEC by supervising their children to study hard, instead of relying on 'apor', which is one of the sources for the exams leakage.

WAEC must also endeavour to punish those who are behind the leakages to serve as deterrent to others. BECE is the catalyst for the development of students' future and nothing must be done to jeopardize that dream.