WASSCE Examinations Are Manageable - Director

It is more difficult to fail than to pass the West African Secondary Schools Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) provided students were conscientious with their studies and observance of regulations and instructions concerning the examinations.
Mr Justice Ansah-Asare, a Deputy Director of WAEC in-charge of Examinations in the Volta region gave the assurance at a forum in Ho in the Volta Region yesterday with second year and final year Senior Secondary School students due to start their examinations this April. The forum formed part of the WAEC Day.

Mr Ansah-Asare said the examinations were not designed to fail the students but make them pass provided they studiously went through the three years period of instruction. "It is more difficult to fail than to pass the examinations," he assured the students urging not to be afraid. He said candidates for those examinations were always given the benefit of the doubt in all cases.

Mr Ansah-Asare who took the candidates through the WAEC Law Act 719 of 2006, and the dos-and-don'ts of the examinations said it was therefore needless to engage in malpractices with a view to passing the examinations through cheating. He therefore urged the candidates to draw the attention of their school authorities or WAEC to any acts that tended to compromise the examinations.

Mr Ansah-Asare reminded the prospective candidates that the examinations were not limited to what they learnt in SSS three but for the whole three years and beyond. He advised them to take adequate rest during the examinations period, avoid studying deep into the night so as to be refreshed and have clear minds for the examinations.

Mr Ansah-Asare urged the candidates to strive to make WAEC poor by passing their examinations on the first occasion rather than going in for reseats. He assured the students of the security of the examination papers and the fairness and firmness of WAEC in dealing with cheats before, during and after the examinations.

Mr Ansah-Asare said candidates have collective and individual responsibility to protect the sanctity of the examinations because innocent candidates stood the risk of having their papers cancelled and their schools de-recognised as examination centers if cheating was detected there.

He said it was much easier to pass the examinations first time while in school because the conditions were then much more favourable including the full benefit of their teachers.

Mr Ansah-Asare also urged the students to take their continuous assessments seriously.

Some of the questions asked by the students included the difference between the grading system under SSSCE and WASSCE, the fate of candidates who would not be able to complete the examinations because of ill-health and the loss of answer scripts.