Is WAEC Up to The Task?

A flashback into the years gone by, examinations were conducted under well-structured and secured conditions. Teachers, parents, and students find it extremely difficult to even dream about getting WEAC questions let alone solve and memorize the answers (both objectives and theoretical questions)

So the order of the day was student and teachers tirelessly going through past questions to predict likely examinable questions for that year.

And you would be surprised by the accuracy of these forecasters. But what do we see today? Right from the secured typing room of WAEC to the various nationwide examination centers, examination is heavily compromised.

The carpenter at your vicinity and the waakye seller at that T-junction could even show you the exams questions on his-her phone provide the phone is an android supported on.

Teachers solve questions secretly and give it to the policeman, from the policeman to the invigilator and then finally to the student.

What type of nation are we building? What moral values are we instilling in these future nation builders. No wonder we can’t even stabilize our currency when we are so blessed with professors of Economics in this country.

When the issue of examination leakages started, the only solution was to cancel the paper or the entire examination and put the blame and unnecessary pressure on the innocent students.

So will WAEC continue to cancel papers once they are leaked? Where is the integrity of WAEC? Let me ask you this simple question, how on earth can your next door neighbor know what happens in your secured room? Well, the only answer is unless you tell your neighbor or a trusted friend of your does that. So though WAEC is failing us as a country, and her friends like the police service, teachers, parents and students are all to be blamed.

So if a teacher or a student is punished for examination malpractice, then what should happen to the board of WAEC? They always go scout free-WAEC has lost her integrity.

The private schools out of competition have influenced WAEC, invigilators and the police personnels to compromise with the integrity of examinations.

However, every constructive criticism comes with a parcel of good solutions.

• WAEC should employ private security agency to man the whole examination security.
• The government should dissolve the entire WAE board and constituent a new one.
• WAEC should get CCTV cameras at the various examination centers or use drones to distribute the examination papers.
• Ghana needs to institute and alternative examination body to compete with WAEC.

Article by

BUAH ISABELLA.

IRON-CITY BASIC SCHOOL

KASOA.