The Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES) have been asked to quickly put their acts together in order not to jeopardise the future of 228 candidates in this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) who could not write the first two papers.
The 228 pupils from three communities in the Bunkpurugu area of the Northern Region could not write the English Language and Religious and Morale Education in the ongoing examinations.
The students were registered to write at the Bunkpurugu Examination Centre but could not afford to commute daily for the examination for various reasons including fearing for their lives as a result of a protracted chieftaincy conflict in the area.
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) says it cannot be blamed for the plight of the students, and cannot also set different questions for them.
The affected candidates are from Gabatia, Gbogbamong and Guagdian communities all in the Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo District.
The Member of Parliament for Sekondi Constituency in the Western Region Andrew Egyapa Mercer has described the situation as unfortunate.
“It is unfortunate and the Education Ministry should take it up to ensure that they write because the students did not say they will not write the exams and so they should not suffer”, the MP told TV3 New Day on Wednesday.
He further remarked, “it is a surprise to me that they [WEAC] have taken a decision not to allow them to write; the GES will have to do what is right to ensure that the students do not suffer”.
The Former MP for North Dayi Constituency in the Volta Region, George Loh, added, “we [Ghanaians] are always going to the river side with the basket because nothing is coming out of our efforts”.
He said “they [WAEC, GES] are not thinking about the pupils’ future and it is totally not on”.
Mr. Loh said “we should rise up and get things done because the community may have created the problem but that is just one of it. The GES should make sure they [pupils] write the examination”.
The Founder of Youth Enterprise Development Network, Kasise Ricky Peprah also urged the affected pupils “to go to court to seek justice over the issue”.
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