‘You’re our heroes’ – Mahama wishes 2020 WASSCE candidates well
Former President John Dramani Mahama has wished candidates sitting for the 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) well.
In a Facebook post, the 2020 flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) described the over 300,000 candidates as “heroes”.
“Ghana has for successive years been known and celebrated for producing the best WASSCE results in West Africa, and that is why, you, even before stepping into the examination hall, are already our heroes. Nothing can change that,” his post read.
Mr. Mahama said the first batch of Free SHS and private school students had made the nation proud by mustering the courage to write their final examination during the coronavirus pandemic.
“Best wishes to our gallant WASSCE candidates who are beginning their exams today. This is certainly not the best of times to sit for an exit examination but bear in mind that you have made yourself, your parents, and the entire nation proud for your outstanding courage to write at this time.
“Be assured that my prayers and that of over 30 million Ghanaians will stay with you every single day until the examination is over. Please remember to observe the #COVID19 protocols before, during, and after the exams. Good luck,” he said.
About the 2020 WASSCE
A total of 375,737 candidates will from today, Monday, July 20 start the2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination in Ghana.
The figure comprises 187,574 males and 188,163 females.
313, 837 out of the total candidature are the first batch of students to have enrolled in the government’s flagship free Senior High School (SHS) policy with the remaining 61, 900 being private school candidates.
In all, 60 subjects including four core and 56 elective subjects are to be written.
Beginning with project work for Visual Arts candidates, the theory papers is set to commence from August 3, 2020, until September 5, 2020.
The Ashanti Region has the highest number of candidates of 87,295 followed by the Eastern Region which has 56,467 candidates partaking in the exams.
The West African Examination Council (WAEC) which conducts the WASSCE concurrently in anglophone West Africa; Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, The Gambia and Liberia announced on 20th March 2020 that it was indefinitely suspending the annual exam due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, had already wished the candidates well. He also urged them to adhere to the COVID-19 protocols.