WAEC debunks allegations by African Education Watch on the withholding of the results of 60,000 candidates
Report by Ben LARYEA
The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has said the Council did not withhold the results of 60,000 candidates as captured in the 2020 report by the Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch).
According to WAEC, a press statement was issued on 13th of November, 2020 indicating that scripts of candidates from 122 schools in certain subjects and are undergoing scrutiny saying issues relating to examination malpractices are thoroughly investigated based on allegations to ensure fairness and transparency.
At a news conference in Accra, the Head of Public Affairs of WAEC, Mrs. Agnes Tei Codjoe refutes the allegations levelled against the Council by African Education Watch and describes the information as misleading following the launch of the said report by Eduwatch.
WAEC debunks allegations by African Education Watch on the withholding of the results of 60,000 candidates
She said WAEC is an international body regulated by Council and composed of 34 distinguished personalities from all the five member countries of WAEC and explained that this makes it highly impossible for any member of the Council to dictate to members or influence members to take inappropriate action as being suggested by Africa Education Watch.
Mrs. Agnes Tei Codjoe said Eduwatch seeks to paint a picture of engaging WAEC on issues relating to the 2020 WASSCE report but was quick to deny that Eduwatch never had any discussions with the Council until few days to the launch of their report invited the Council and further said that Eduwatch did not involve WAEC in the reporting process in order to be better informed on processes and procedures from WAEC in its conclusions and recommendations in its report.
On examination questions leakages, she said Eduwatch alleged that there were leakages in almost all the papers apart from Integrated Science and Social studies, stating further that WAEC quickly changed the questions but refuted the allegation saying there are standard procedures which are followed when a paper be replaced.
WAEC debunks allegations by African Education Watch on the withholding of the results of 60,000 candidates
“The Council recalled that during the BECE (SC) 2020, WAEC intelligence picked up a supervisors and invigilators who had mobile phones on them and had snapped the question paper and posted them on various platforms”, she said and explained that the issue was reported to the police and they have been persecuted as such.
On the issue of transporting the questions alleged by Eduwatch to the exam centers, she debunked the report saying WAEC does not transport the papers by night prior to or at dawn of the examination day adding “depot keepers are directed not to issue question papers to supervisors earlier than 45 minutes before the start of each paper”.
She however commended all stakeholders who contributed to the successful conduct of the WASSCE (SC) 2020 in the midst of Covid 19 and said WAEC is committed to the conduct of credible examinations in the public interest and will adopt innovative measures to improve its processes in the fight against examination malpractices.
Source: www.thenewindependentonline.com
