Visually impaired candidates writing the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in the Effutu Municipality of the Central Region have expressed frustration after the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) reportedly failed to provide specially formatted question and answer sheets to suit their needs.
The affected candidates say the absence of adapted exam materials has made it difficult, if not impossible, for them to effectively participate in the ongoing examinations.
Information gathered by Adom News correspondent Seth Kofi Adjei indicates that the Effutu Education Directorate had earlier written to WAEC, requesting that examination papers for visually impaired students be printed in accessible formats.
Former Municipal Chief Executive for Effutu, Kassim Zubairu, confirmed the development to Adom News when he visited some of the examination centres alongside the Effutu Omanhene.
He described the situation as unfortunate, revealing that WAEC failed to provide both the modified question papers and the required assistive tools needed by the visually impaired candidates.
Alhaji Zubairu has therefore called on WAEC to take concerns raised by Municipal and District Education Directorates seriously, especially those relating to persons living with disabilities, before printing examination materials.
“I am here to represent Afenyo-Markin, MP for Effutu, and I realised that persons with disabilities are not well catered for. The font size of the questions is too small, but I think it is up to the education directors to make their choice. Though they are managing, some have complained that they are struggling with reading and understanding. We are pleading with WAEC that next time, when a school or municipality writes to them regarding people who are challenged, they should consider it something important,” he said.
He further urged the examination body to urgently address the issue to prevent a recurrence in future examinations.
Meanwhile, officials from the Effutu Education Directorate have declined to comment in detail on the matter but indicated that efforts are underway to find alternative arrangements to enable the affected candidates to sit for the exams.
