The Executive Secretary of the Institute for Education Studies (IFEST-Ghana), Dr Peter Partey Anti, has said that it will not be in the interest of any person to discredit the certificates that students obtain after writing the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
If that happens, he said, it is Ghanaian children who are going to suffer.
Partey Anti however, blamed the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) for the allegation being made in some quarters that students cheated in the 2023 WASSCE. He said WAEC was first to make that claim, thereby encouraging others to make similar comments.
Usually, he said, it is stakeholders like his organization who make the claim of exam malpractices for WAEC to defend but this time round, the exam body itself came out to make the allegations.
Speaking on the Ghana Tonight Show on TV3 on Thursday, December 28 while touching on the comments by former President John Dramani Mahama challenging the authenticity of the WASSCE results, Partey Anti said “There is going to be a review of the education sector for the year 2023, this is the third year we are doing with Eduwatch. IFEST Ghana, and Eduwatch. We are going to look at a wide range of issues that have come up during the year under review. One of them is the WASSCE issue that we are talking about. Under normal circumstances, when students sit for exam and they pass with that kind of what we call flying colors, we are supposed to be happy, that is exactly how I feel with the results that have come.
“I think the problem is that prior to this, a lot of things had been happening, and people seem not to have acknowledged the impact of those things on the exams that were written. We need to note that it is not in the interest of anybody to rundown the certificates that the students get after they have written the WASSCE.
When that certificate is discredited, it means our children, our nieces, our nephews, brothers, and sisters are those who are going to suffer, because all of us have written that particular exam already, we wouldn’t go back to write it, but those who are coming up are those who are going to suffer.
So whatever discussion we are having should be designed in such a way that it does not discredit the certificate that is issued by WAEC while these kids write the exams. But WAEC itself during the exams came out to make certain kinds of accusations in respect of a wide range of examination malpractices that they say they have witnessed during the exams period.
“I was on record as saying this is strange, In such circumstances what happens is that it is we the watchers, and stakeholders who are observing the exams. We are those who come out with these observations and then WAEC will come and normally defend but this time round, WAEC itself came out to make the comments that they have recorded an overwhelming exams malpractice happening across the length and breadth of the country. Therefore if anybody queries this kind of results, that person is not far from right because it is coming from WAEC.”
Earlier, while also responding to Mr Mahama, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia said that the remarkable outcome of the 2023 West Africa Senior School Certificate (WASSCE) was a result of hard work on the part of the students.
He indicated that the students made Ghana proud with their good results.
“Congratulations to all WASSCE students, their teachers as well as their parents for the excellent performance attained by the students in this year’s WASSCE. This is no doubt the result of hard work and dedication by all of you.
“You have made Ghana proud and I wish you the very best as you move on to greater challenges. Please don’t let anyone denigrate your achievements. Not everyone can appreciate what it takes to be an intelligent student. You have earned the excellent performances by dint of hard work. God bless you. I wish you all a happy new year,” he wrote on his X platform.
The flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) said the recent exercise undertaken by the students was characterised with malpractices and has said the ramifications will dawn on the nation in future.
During his visit to the Mfantseman Constituency as part of his ‘Building Ghana Tour’ in the Central region, the former President alleged that some invigilators instead of ensuring candidates did independent work, aided students in answering the questions.
His cheating allegations follow a declaration by the Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, that, the 2023 WASSCE results is the best the nation has recorded since 2015.
“In many places, they let the children cheat. You go to places and the teachers are conniving with the students to cheat. The effect will be seen later,” John Mahama averred.
He said the implication of the development will hit the nation sooner or later.
“You certify these children saying they are of this standard either the BECE or SSCE, and that child will use that certificate, go abroad to a school and they will find out that your qualification is not up to the standard you say it is,” he indicated.
John Mahama’s Building Ghana Tour was set to solicit ideas from professional bodies and the general public to beef up the NDC’s People’s Manifesto for election 2024.
With teachers featuring most in all six regions toured so far, those at the Mfantseman constituency lamented the lack of textbooks after government changed the curriculum years ago.
John Mahama promised to provide the textbooks for the students as soon as the NDC wins power in the December elections, describing the situation as a bane in the nation’s education.
“We are worried about the lack of text books. You do a new curriculum and fail to supply textbook, I wonder what kind of government this is. Our education system is in shambles,” he added.
Apart from reviewing the Free SHS policy in its first 100 days, the next NDC government has also promised to invest in housing scheme for teachers.