The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has announced that security measures have been put in place to protect the sanctity of the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), which commenced throughout the country yesterday [August 22, 2022].
The procedures include serializing test questions, collaborating with the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) to supervise question paper production, and using number combination padlocks in addition to conventional padlocks for all security bags carrying question paper packets.
Others are collaborating with some security agencies to track and arrest dealers and operators of rogue websites, inspecting all depots nationwide and fortifying those that needed it, ensuring uninterrupted movement of question papers from strong rooms to depots, and establishing additional depots near schools to ensure that question papers do not arrive late and are released to candidates early.
Event
Agnes Teye-Cudjoe, WAEC’s Head of Public Affairs, spoke to the media in Accra yesterday and underlined the remaining steps “issuing of question papers no earlier than 45 minutes before the start of each paper, and enhanced inspection of malpractice-prone centres.”
“There will also be naming and shaming of schools that engage in malpractice to serve as a deterrent to others, as well as correspondence to the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service regarding reports received from concerned citizens about the collection of money and plans by certain schools to cheat.
“There will be continued surveillance of these schools by the council’s team of inspectors and security persons in the course of the examination,” Ms Teye-Cudjoe added.
She asked supervisors and invigilators to follow the requirements of the examination by being watchful and to refrain from bringing their cellphones into examination halls, stating, “They should not be agents of malpractice, as unfortunately as is the case sometimes.”
She also urged the media to desist from disseminating unsubstantiated information about the examination’s results.
“Let us be careful not to create unnecessary fear and panic among candidates in particular and society in general. This could send wrong signals on the conduct of the examination to the international community,” Mrs Teye-Cudjoe said.
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WASSCE 2022
The WASSCE 2022 is being taken by 422,883 students from 977 schools.
There are 673 public schools, an up from 651 in 2021, as well as 304 private schools.
However, due to the closure of several institutions, the number of private schools has declined from 314 in 2021 to 304 in 2022.
In all, 775 test centers are being used, with 60 subjects involved, including four core and 56 electives from which applicants can pick.
Arrangements
Mrs Teye-Cudjoe stated that the council had made special arrangements for candidates with special needs, such as Braille papers for the visually impaired, large print papers for candidates with low vision, and extra time for candidates who are visually and hearing impaired, have cerebral palsy, or have autism disorder.
“There would also be computers for use by candidates with cerebral palsy and those who are not blind but cannot read, ” she added.
SOURCE: GRAPHICONLINE
