Heads must roll for exam scandal

Concerns have been raised in the recent past over the leaking of examination questions from the stables of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).

If the incident had occurred once and measures instituted to check future recurrence, it would have been treated as an isolated incident to be relegated to the dust bin of history.

Unfortunately, that has not been the case.

Year after year, the leak keeps occurring, thereby making examination leak from WAEC a perennial thing.

Time and again, WAEC had given an assurance that steps would be taken to address the situation but things seem to be getting out of hand.

Last year, the council dismissed two of its members of staff following the leak of Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE) questions, but not much has been done by way of the institution of the required measures to stem the tide of leaks.

When the Daily Graphic got the information about the leak, the editorial team was hesitant about going to press with the story, in view of the impact it could have on a good number of students who are innocent and have studied hard to write the examination.

The decision to finally publish the story was informed by the national concern that has been expressed by various stakeholders on the recurrence of the leak.

Major stakeholders in education, such as the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Education Service (GES), the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), IMANI Ghana and others, have added their voices in condemnation of the perennial canker.

President John Mahama has also instructed the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) to team up with the examination body to track the sources of the leak and bring the perpetrators to book.

The Daily Graphic finds this call expedient, in view of the fact that in the past those found to have played roles in leaks were not dealt with in a manner that would serve as a deterrent to would-be perpetrators.

It is our hope that this time around those who will be found culpable will be made to face the full rigours of the law because their activities constitute a clear and present danger to the future of our students.

 It is our hope that apart from WAEC officials, any parent, teacher or student who played a role in the leak would be dealt with in accordance with the law.

The credibility of certificates issued by WAEC is currently suffering because of these regular instances of examination leaks and the Daily Graphic believes that the right action must be employed in stamping out this dangerous and disgraceful behaviour once and for all.