Ghana-only WASSCE takes off tomorrow

The Ghana-Only West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for School Candidates begins tomorrow (Wednesday) with English Orals for all candidates.

This follows the successful conduct of the practical and project works by some of the candidates from August 5, 2024.

In all, a total of 460,611 candidates made up of 212,954 males and 247,657 females drawn from 1,003 schools have registered for the examination.

The figure represents a 2.66 per cent higher than the 2023 entry figure of 448,674.  The examination will be written at 1,000 centres across the country.

Ghana only

The Ghana-Only WASSCE-SC will be for the third successive time because the other four-member countries of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) — Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone and The Gambia — have returned to the May/June calendar for WASSCE school candidates.

The ‘new normal’ calendar for Ghana was occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.  The examination is expected to end on Friday, September 20, 2024, a statement issued by the Head of Public Affairs of WAEC, John Kapi said.

Intelligence

Meanwhile, the council has assured all stakeholders and members of the public that all the necessary test security measures have been put in place to ensure that the examination is conducted successfully.

It, however, noted, with concern, grand schemes by some institutions to engage in mass cheating during the examination.

“Intelligence information picked up indicates that candidates in some parts of the country are being charged sums of money between Gh¢200.00 and

Gh$500.00 to receive assistance from invigilators; supervisors at some centres are planning to assign teachers to invigilate subjects they teach; some schools have registered persons who are not their bona fide students,” the statement said.

The council also cautioned heads of schools, supervisors and invigilators to desist from the practice as those involved would be dealt with according to the rules and regulations of the examination.

It said the council would not hesitate to nullify the entries of such candidates and those who managed to sneak in would have their entire results cancelled if found out. 

Rules

In addition, it said examination centres that did not comply with the rules governing the examination would be relocated to WAEC-designated centres.

“The council solicits the support of all stakeholders, especially supervisors and invigilators, in safeguarding the integrity of the examination.

“Candidates are advised to adhere to the rules and regulations of the examination and be wary of the activities of rogue website operators, whose primary duty is to circulate fake questions and lure candidates into subscribing to these questions, thereby taking their focus off their books,” it said.

The council wished candidates success in their papers and reminded them that they could pass their examination without cheating.