WHY CANDIDATES RESULTS SHOULD NOT BE WITHHELD OR CANCELLED AS A RESULT OF LEAKAGES OF EXAM PAPERS

The West African Examination Council (WAEC) is an entirely non profiting Education body which comprises of Educationalist who are in charge of conducting and supervising examinations in an unbiased manner across the sub region of West Africa; which includes , Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Liberia respectively. WAEC was established since 1952, and has encountered countless examinations malpractices. Inasmuch as the problems varies from year to year, the candidates has no blame to share.
I would like to bring in notice reasons why candidates certificates should not be withheld or cancelled.

First and Foremost, the general public will agree with me that, no candidate works as an examiner in WAEC, however, the leakages of papers can never and will not be a foul play on the side of the candidates.

It’s obvious that, candidates are beyond desperate to pass their final examination at all cost, hence breaking the chain and going beyond the extra mile, seeking likely examination questions. Our Educational system only imprison our minds to the notion of learning and passing in other words “chew and pour”, which implies that lessons taught in classes that are meant to reflect in the lives of the students after school is just a mere widow dressing; it has very less impact on the student.
In addition to the above, supervisors and invigilators are to supervise the candidates during examinations to prevent mass cheating, they are also to single-out any candidates caught in examination malpractices. WAEC should not make candidates victims of circumstances. A candidate Must not suffer the negligence of another; individual responsibility. The good book even specified in the book of Ezekiel that “the soul that sins Must die”, how much more WAEC? Let’s call a spade a spade, The fact that Twenty candidates are caught in a hall doesn’t guarantee an evidence that the whole school is involved in this “holy sacrament”, how much more only a student? Over the previous years , I have observed with keen trepidation how WAEC has shuttered the dreams of thousands of Students.

The negligence of an examination officer for not singling out a candidate shouldn’t plunge the whole school in chaos.

Furthermore, an institution that is supposed to conduct and supervise examinations, hence bringing the best in student, goes by the slogan known to all High School Students as “Your failure , is our success”; is nepotism, wickedness , partiality and the greed for money eating into this noble and prestigious institution? This has place the candidates, who are poised to further their education, in a dilemma.
To buttress the above, why should the number of Tertiary institution determine the number of candidates who pass ? Students will not differ from my opinion that, their own teachers who works as examiners tells them without fear or favour, that the council sits and decides how many Students should qualify for Tertiary institutions, how ridiculous? If WAEC will officially debunk this statement, we will stop blaming them of greed and lust for money. It appears the council now decides who should pass and not Examination determining the fate of candidates.
To add up, WAEC has highlighted some category A schools, which means that , no matter the case, they will pass. Since when did our Educational system becomes a partial institutions? Was that the aim of the council? To be biased? Let’s be precise, WAEC is partial and corrupt, seizing students the right to further their education. The public would bear with me that, there is a general notion which states *”all private institutions has a link to Examination questions “APOR”* , in what book was that pathetic notion written? And WAEC, a council made up of Educationalist also determine the fate of candidates using that notion.
A case study is a popular private school in the Ga West Constituency , where an entire schools result has been withheld by WAEC for two weeks, however after the two weeks, the results were released with a lot of candidate failing; Now, a mind boggling question emerge; was it because of the mass failure that led to the detention of the results? Far from that. There was a foul play and that need to be investigated as early before that canker spread like a harmattan Wind.
Finally, the introduction of the Item Differentia Profile (IDP) software is just unthinkable. Did the council place the success of students before or they are only interested in detaining and cancelling papers? Did the council weigh the merits and demerits on a social scale? Who was consulted? The parents making money for WAEC via the payment of registration fees for their wards; Far from that.
When I’m busily answering my questions and by default someone sitting by me , copy all my answers,I should pay for his cheat, Interesting. How possible ? The council says we should go by the rules, but to be honest, the rules must bend.
Withholding, Cancellation and failing Students would not Solve the problem.
The fact that there is a high rate of unemployment in the country doesn’t mean, WAEC should use that as a priority. WAEC is not a partisan institution. Let any government that is in power deal with the unemployment issue. WAEC should desist. Nevertheless, these problems clearly stated above could be solve and prevented
Firstly, Legal practitioners should take the bold step of prosecuting The council if they fail to meet up to expectations. Our democracy can only be strengthen if lawyers are there to seek justice. In developd countries whom we almost copied everything from; this issue would be dealt with accordingly. But it appears everything WAEC says is final.
Secondly, The supervisors and invigilators should single out any candidate caught in an examination malpractices. By so doing, it will prevent a mass cancellation of papers. Individual responsibility , one must not suffer the negligence of another.
*To state again, WAEC should be investigated prior to the detainment of a private school in the Ga West Constituency, and those incompetence WAEC professionals should be brought before the BAR.
WAEC cannot sit and say the certificates has been released and dispatched to the various schools, so therefore, the have less choice; Not at all , they have a choice to return hope to Number of Student whose grades has been forged.
WAEC is not supposed to determine the number of students who pass yearly, they should stick to their aims and objectives. They should be bold enough to tell us the number of student who pass and fail, and not the number of candidates whose results has been withheld or Cancelled.
Finally, why should WAEC be the only institution responsible for issuing of certificates? There should be other governmental body to regulate this issues,Monopoly is not only an economics term, it’s like placing a crown on the head of a dog before leasing . We disagree that “NOVDEC” being the only choice if one fails. We believe there are irregularities in the West African Examination council, We therefore Suggest that the ministry of Education takes a quick action by establishing an independent body which will enable all results which were formerly withheld this year to be remarked and dispatched to the various schools without delay. Despite the fact that some forge grades have been released.
TeamElite’16,
Accra,
Ghana.

Richmond Brown Sekyi (0200020234)

Sessi Dela Renney (0244140272)

Stephen Ameyaw( 0234073107)