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Letter To Waec: The Agony Of A Village Student

By Oteng Amponsah Enock
Letter Letter To Waec: The Agony Of A Village Student
JUN 19, 2015 LISTEN

First of all I congratulate WAEC for their outstanding job since the inception of the council. Before one gets admitted to a secondary or tertiary institution in Ghana, one has to pass examinations conducted by the WAEC. In our Ghanaian community, one's achievement in WAEC exams determines the type of Senior High School one can attend or the type of course he or she can pursue at the Tertiary level.

Our Senior High Schools are classified in such a way that grades and performances in WAEC exams determines the class of school one gets admitted to. This is because in WAEC exams, students at the same level of learning sit for a nationwide exams. The exams are conducted at the same time, same questions, marked and graded by the same body across the country.

The reason for such conditions is that we want to give every student of this country the same opportunity to prove his or her ability and level of knowledge in his or her studies. The grades are the basis for selection to higher schools of learning. If you ever apply to study any course at the University, you may observe that after giving the required passes one obtained from WAEC to read a course, the university immediately adds that, a better grade will give an opportunity to qualify for a competitive cut-off selection.

Now the question is, if one obtains the minimum entry requirements for a course of study at the university, why do i need to go through another competitive cut-off selection? Public institutions in Ghana are all government sub-vented institutions and hence receive grants to subsidise the cost of running programmes. In order to give every citizen of Ghana an equal opportunity to education viz-a-viz limited number of institutions and facilities, WAEC exam achievements are the basis for selection and hence better grades will give one a better chance of gaining admission into one's desirable institution or course of study.

The lucky (rich) ones who cannot or do not want to compete with their peers for limited entries to these public institutions (based on factors such as WAEC exam achievements or other personal reasons) rather resort to private institutions or opt for fee paying programmes.

This tells the value we place on WAEC exams. Notwithstanding the numerous disadvantages (access to internet, course materials, electricity, competent staff, etc.) associated with schooling in our villages and the "third class schools", all students, irrespective of origin, sit under the same conditions and write examinations with colleagues who had had a better exposure and access to basic amenities. As if that is not enough, this same class of colleagues are fraudulently given access to examination questions before the start of the exams. This injustice undeniably gives urban students a far more upper hand as far as final achievements in the exams and selection processes are concerned.

I can say without equivocation that the very few who gets the opportunity to study with their peers from the first class schools are mostly ahead of them. Students from less privileged schools have suffered enough from the actions of some corrupt staffs of WAEC. For once, I am very happy about the bold decision that WAEC has taken concerning the leakage of examination questions and subsequent cancellation of such papers by the council. But my fear is, the very act that we seek to prevent (intent of giving all students fair grounds to write this exams) may subsequently be defeated by actions of these same corrupt officials of WAEC.

If this unfortunate incident happens once more, will it even have been a good decision to cancel the first batch of papers? Ghanaians have toiled enough with their sweat to bring this country to this extent. We do not want a situation where innocent Ghanaians would be made to suffer the consequences of actions or inactions of some corrupt state officials. I entreat WAEC to investigate and bring such corrupt officers to justice in order to restore confidence and integrity of the council.

The ministry in charge of education is also entreated to ensure that the right thing is done as far as fairness is concerned; such that the ordinary Ghanaian student learning at the village will have the hope of competing privileged colleagues on fair grounds in their quest of seeking admissions into state sponsored institutions.

God Bless our Homeland Ghana
Oteng Amponsah Enock
UMaT SRC President (fmr)
0246122392/

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