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GES unhappy with increasing
examinations malpractices
Accra, Dec. 6, Ghanadot/GNA - Mr Samuel Bannerman-Mensah,
Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), on
Thursday expressed concern about the spate of examination
malpractices by candidates who sit for examinations
conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
He said the situation was even sad in instances where
supervisors and invigilators connived with candidates,
pointing out that in the 2006 West African Senior Secondary
Certificate Examinations (WASSCE), 93 school authorities and
teachers were reported for disciplinary action while 26
schools were de-recognised.
WAEC recorded 9,874 cases of malpractice in the May/June
2006 WASSCE alone as against 1,624 last year.
Mr Bannerman-Mensah made the remarks at the 2006 National
Excellence Awards organised by WAEC to honour two students
of the Wesley Girls High School who excelled in the 2006
WASSCE.
The award winners, Nana Ama Wadee and Ms Daisy Couri, are
the first to receive the awards in the WASSCE category since
the country changed from the Senior Secondary school
Certificate Examination (SSSCE) to join Nigeria, Sierra
Leone and the Gambia for WASSCE.
The GES Director-General said though the de-recognised
schools were given external supervision, a few recalcitrant
ones were involved in the practice again during the May/June
2007 WASSCE, adding that some even threatened examination
officials.
He therefore called on all stakeholders to immediately take
steps to reverse the trend.
Mr Bannerman-Mensah also expressed regret about poor
academic performance of candidates, especially in English
Language and Mathematics, and advised teachers to work hard
while students read more to improve their standards.
Mrs Patience Ayesu, Head of WAEC National Office, commended
the award winners for excelling with eight grade "A1s" out
of the 122,621 who took the examinations.
She stated that WAEC in the core subject's category recorded
68 per cent passes in Social studies, 33 per cent credit
pass in English Language, 32.06 per cent in Mathematics and
25.34 in Integrated Science.
Seven per cent failed Social Studies, 19 per cent in
English, 31 per cent in Integrated Science and 32 per cent
in Mathematics.
Mrs Ayesu said, to improve student performance, there was
the need for stakeholders to provide more reading materials
and buy Chief Examiners’ report to study student flops.
She also called on teacher associations to support WAEC to
curb examinations malpractices.
Nana Ama, the overall best candidate, received 300 dollars
and a certificate. She was also presented with 250 dollars
as the best science student.
Ms Couri, the second best received 250 dollars and a
certificate in addition to a 250-dollar package as best
business student.
Wesley Girls School received four plaques for producing the
candidates.
GNA
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