The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) wants the governing board of the West African Examination Council (WAEC) in Ghana dissolved for a new one to be constituted.
The teachers are further demanding that the head of WAEC, Rev Nii Ollennu, must be made to step aside while investigations are being carried out into the circumstances leading to the leakage and subsequent cancellation of some five papers in the ongoing Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).NAGRAT is of the view that the Council has failed Ghanaian teachers and students by failing to “bring WAEC up to speed with 21st century virtual securities.”WAEC on Wednesday canceled five papers following a massive leakage on social media.The canceled papers are English Language 2, Religious and Moral Education 2, Integrated Science 2, Mathematics 2 and Social Studies 2.The examination council explained that it had to cancel the papers in order to protect the integrity of the examination.The council is presently being investigated by the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) and Rev. Ollenu is said to have been questioned by the security operatives.
However, an aggrieved parent has threatened to sue WAEC for the psychological trauma the cancellation is having on his son.WAEC is an untouchable bullyAddressing the media at a press conference on Thursday, NAGRAT made a strong suggestion that government should encourage and promote the creation of alternative examination bodies in order to discontinue the monopoly of WAEC as the sole examining body at the Junior and Senior High Schools.This, they say, will help promote the integrity of examinations and certificates in Ghana because it is very convinced that “WAEC is able to afford these unpardonable in inefficiencies because of the monopoly it enjoys.”
“It is clear that whether their services are good or not and whether we like them or not, they are the only one we have. WAEC has become an untouchable bully that pushes bad services down our throat while no one dare questions them.”NAGRAT admitted that “some pupils, students, teachers and indeed anybody could be culpable for leakages” but added that it is certain that “most of the leakages take their source from WAEC itself.’“It is unfortunate that WAEC staff are highly insulated and hardly suffer any serious penalties for their wrong doings.”They added that any WAEC official, teacher or pupil who is found culpable must be dealt with according to the law.
