PAYNESVILLE, Montserrado – On Monday, the West Africa Examinations Council began administering the senior high school exams at 211 schools with 31,297 students across the country.
The grade 12 exams are expected to be completed by Friday, with the junior high exams beginning on the 29th of May, with about 40,000 students expected to participate.
Junior high students were expected to take the exams on May 18 but administrative challenges forced the postponement. According to WAEC authorities, because all the registration took place online for these exams, some schools – especially those in the rural areas – had problems accessing their registration materials.
The high school exams, from all appearances, is going well. According to one of the proctor at a test center, who spoke on the basis of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, WAEC had put in place mechanisms to ensure that mistakes of the past are avoided.
He said before being assigned at the test center, he and other proctors went through a series of training before being qualified to administer the test.
Students taking the test said they were excited about the exam because they would soon be completing the high school stage of their academic journey.
The senior high school test certificate is a required document when applying for most jobs, colleges, and for even visa applications at the U.S. Embassy.
“I have always been told that WAEC is very hard and that it is not easy to pass,†said James Kollie, a student at Yatta School in Paynesville. However, despite the apparent anxiety associated with the exam, the senior student appeared positioned to do well.
“I am confident that I will pass this exam and come out with flying colors.â€
