WASSCE beginOfficial warns against cheating

A Senior Public Affairs Officer at the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), Mrs. Agnes Teye-Cudjoe has warned all candidates writing this year's West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) to refrain from any examination irregularities or face the necessary punishment when caught.

She said candidates can pass their examinations without cheating and encouraged members of the public to report any irregularities that come to their attention to the Council.

In a press release, Mrs. Teye-Cudjoe said WAEC has put in place the necessary measures to ensure that the examinations are conducted successfully. “However, the support of all stakeholders is key to the attainment of this success”, she said.

She urged all supervisors, invigilators and candidates to pay heed to the rules and regulations governing the conduct of the Council's examinations which have been the focus of the various sensitization programmes and briefing sessions. One hundred and thirty-six thousand, nine hundred and thirty-six (136,936) candidates from 572 Senior High Schools will take the May/June 2008 WASSCE.

The candidates are made up of 77,281 males and 59,655 females and include 16 blind males and 5 blind females.

The examination is in progress with Oral and Practical Tests, and the first core paper which is Oral English starts from today Tuesday 15th April, 2008 and will end on Wednesday, 28th May, 2008.

A candidate of the St. Mary's Senior High School, Korle-Gonno, Accra told ADM that, “as students, our expectations and priorities in the school are to learn and pass the exams once and for all through competent means. We can't afford to lose the hard-won reputation for the school so cheaply. No! We won't involve ourselves in any examination malpractices. We'll do all that we can to make our school proud.”

Some candidates said although learning has not been easy, they are doing their best to face the challenges in the examinations.

Others were very optimistic about their preparations towards the examinations and said they see the examination as one of the major challenges to come their way.