GES has power to suspend candidates – WAEC
The Ghana Education Service (GES) has the power to suspend candidates who fail to abide by the rules and regulations in the ongoing examinations, the West African Examination Council has said.
In backing the Ghana Education Service’s decision to suspend 14 students who caused mayhem in their senior high schools, WAEC argued that GES had every right to take such drastic measures in light of happenings in most senior high schools across the country.
“The decision taken by GES is a step in the right direction. With regards to taking action when it comes to discipline in school, WAEC cannot do that one.
“It is done by the GES, but when it gets to cases of irregularities, that is where the council comes in. Our board is yet to give us the approval to take the necessary action against the students,” WAEC Public Relations Officer, Ms Agnes Teye-Cudjoe said on Joy FM’s Newsfile.
Madam Teye-Cudjoe was responding to Ghana Education Service critics who question the authority of GES to bar the suspended students from writing the ongoing examination.
She also indicated that the council has commenced its investigation and in the coming days would take action against the said students, once a committee set up to investigate the incidents submits its report.
“I think you recall following the incident that occurred at the Bright senior high school, a formal complaint has been made by our officers and we will be following up on that and take the necessary measures,” she added.
Per WAEC rules, candidates who misconduct themselves during an examination are likely to have their entire results cancelled and also banned from taking the exams for the next two years.
Candidates may also be slapped with a prison term of not more than 18 months or alternatively pay between GHC1,200 and GHC2,400.
Madam Teye-Cudjoe, however, assured that there would be other opportunities for students who have been banned to register.
Background
Earlier this week, some senior high schools recorded chaotic scenes in the ongoing 2020 WASSCE.
The near-daily protests led to some injuries and destruction of public and private property.
The first school to lead the chaos was the Tweneboa Kodua Senior School at Sekyere Senior High School in Sekyere Kumawu in the Ashanti Region.
On August 3, the students protested against the headteacher, John Asante Bawuah, for being too strict at the examination hall.
Similar incidents also happened at Juaben SHS, Sekondi College and Ndewura Jakpa Secondary Technical School.
The last to join the chaotic league was a private school in the Eastern Region, Bright Senior High School, who had a brawl with WAEC invigilators and journalists.
The GES, in a swift reaction to the pockets of disturbances that characterised the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), barred 14 final year students from writing the examination forthwith.
In addition, three teachers were barred from invigilating the examination awaiting the conclusion of investigations into their alleged roles in some of the reported cases.
The authority also directed that all students who were in schools where destruction of school property occurred were to be surcharged for the full cost of the damage.
Affected students/teachers
The affected students are Nicholas Cobbinal, Kardimeil Suapim and John Kwofie of the Sekondi College; Simon Ameyibor (Senior Prefect), Thomas Anokye and Miss Juliet Amoakowaa of the Tweneboah Koduah SHS; Emmanuel Ashiangmor, Peter Sissi, Ameka Nyamitse, Shadrack Dailtey and Alfred Attiso of the Battor SHS, and Solomon Brako, Albert Agyekum and Robert Inkoom of the Juaben SHS.
The teachers are Thomas Anokye of Tweneboah Kodua SHS; Joseph Andoh of Sekondi College, and Evans Yeboah of the Kade Senior High and Technical School (SHTS).
According to GES, the directive was to serve as deterrence and to ensure that life and property were protected in the schools.
But some education groups have complained that the sanction meted out to the students were too harsh.
Meanwhile, WAEC has relocated its examination centre from the premises of Bright Senior High School to the Ofori Panin Senior High School in the Eastern Region.