Child Rights International (CRI) has urged the Ghana Education Service (GES) to conduct investigations into matters arising with regards to the ongoing 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
The Executive Director of CRI, Bright Appiah, in a statement recalled that final year students across the country had begun writing their final examinations, and for the most part the general atmosphere during this period had been calm.
He said most schools had strictly adhered to the COVID-19 protocols provided by the Ghana Health Service.
Mr Appiah noted that notwithstanding this, our attention had been drawn to the acts of indiscipline exhibited by students of certain schools, acts that we vehemently condemn.
He said these acts had been incited by schools asking students not to observe the protocols, the outcome of the papers being written, issues with the fact that there was a strict compliance to the invigilation protocols causing students to urge other students to boycott and destroy school property.
“In view of all the above, we urge the GES to conduct an investigation into the various matters that have arisen during this period and teaching staff, non-teaching staff and students involved in the investigation,” he said.
“The Service should administer discipline to students who have violated school regulations, however any action taken by GES should not deny children their right to write examinations.”
Mr Appian said the punishment must conform to the principle of children rights and welfare; declaring that “there is the need for GES or Government to take a second look at the examination culture in Ghana”.
He said the underlying causes for the issues arising (indiscipline, breach of COVID-19 protocols, rioting) was as a result of the manner examinations were conducted in the country.
Mr Appiah said there was a collective effort whether knowingly or unknowingly by parents, school management, students and in some cases examination regulators to legitimize cheating during examinations.
He said until that was changed, such occurrences would be repetitive.
“We are recommending that, there be a national agenda to reform our examination system to conform to innovations and international standards as is the case in Singapore and other advanced countries.
“We believe that if such measures are put in place the problems we are facing within the education system in relation to examination will be resolved,” he said.
“We urge all students to stay focused on their examinations and in their best efforts to ensure they ace their examinations.”
CRI is a non-governmental organization that is committed to the promotion and protection of the inherent dignity of every child.
