The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has defended its decision to bar 154 Sekondi College students from sitting Thursday’s Chemistry theory and objective papers, insisting that examination regulations do not allow candidates who arrive late to enter the examination hall after the prescribed reporting time.
The explanation comes after the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) of Sekondi College appealed for the affected students to be given another opportunity to write the paper. The PTA argued that the candidates were delayed by heavy rainfall and were subsequently denied entry by an external invigilator.
Speaking to Accra-based Citi FM, WAEC’s Head of Public Affairs, John Kapi, said strict adherence to examination rules is necessary because the examination is conducted simultaneously across several countries in the West African sub-region.
According to him, maintaining uniform standards is critical to preserving the integrity and credibility of the examination process.
Mr Kapi noted that while severe weather conditions could raise legitimate concerns in some situations, preliminary information available to WAEC suggests that the affected students were already on campus before the examination began.
“The information reaching us indicates that some were at the ICT lab, some were in the classroom, some were in the dormitories; they didn’t have to travel any distance to get to the examination hall.
“And mind you, there were others who were in there already and were writing, according to the report that we received. So, obviously, something may have gone wrong to make some of them not want to get into the examination hall early enough to start the exam.”
He further indicated that WAEC would not organise a special examination for the affected students, explaining that their next opportunity to write the paper would be during another examination cycle.
“They will only have a chance to rewrite in another cycle of examination. So, for example, if we are going to conduct a NOV/DEC this year, they are at liberty to register and write,” he stated.
The incident has sparked debate among parents, students and education stakeholders, with some calling for compassion and flexibility given the circumstances surrounding the candidates’ lateness, while others argue that examination rules must be applied consistently to all candidates.
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