YARPAH TOWN, River Cess – Parents of students attending the Yarpah Town Public School in River Cess are still furious that their children were kept after 8 p.m. on the evening of May 21 to take the Physics exam for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination.
The students were first seated outside the school building, but Jarome Reeves, the school’s principal and the WAEC’s examiner, instructed them to enter the fence of a newly constructed Early Childhood Development school building.
The school principal, a female WAEC examiner who was not identified, and another person claiming to be an officer of the Liberia National Police not in uniform or identified administered the test.
Some angry parents and school graduates frowned on the situation, but the principal and the examiner said the students had consented to be kept late for the test.
“When the test arrived, we asked the students if they wanted to write the test. They agreed because they have two tests to write tomorrow, and they [didn’t] want to write three,” Reeves said.
The unidentified examiner who refused to speak to The Bush Chicken in detail about the reasons for the delay and the late-night administering of the exam said she was acting on the instructions of her bosses. She did not, however, also name who her bosses were.
A credible report reveals that the test was dropped in Buchanan, Grand Bassa to be picked up by the River Cess examiner. However, the examiner began leaving Yarpah Town at 1:00 p.m. to travel to Buchanan and take delivery of the exam papers and returned after 6:00 p.m. At the time, most of the students writing the exam had already left the exam center. However, Reeves insisted on administering the exam that night.
The start time was extended to after 7:00 p.m. to allow the students who had already left the campus to write the exam.
Two other schools in the county saw their tests arrive late, but the administrators at Cestos High and Green Pastures agreed not to administer them overnight.
Many parents have questioned the credibility of the exam.
“This is unfair and unprofessional on the part of WAEC to give test in the night,” said Kennedy Kerkulah, a resident of Yarpah Town.
Despite attempts, The Bush Chicken could not speak with Peter Knowlden, River Cess’ county education officer.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has invited Education Minister Jarso Jallah to appear before its Committee on Education to provide reasons for the late-night exam. The House’s decision followed a communication from Rep. Steve Tequah of River Cess’ second district complaining on the late administering of the WASSCE.
“I am writing to request your assistance in inviting the Minister of Education to provide an explanation for the decision to have administered the West African Senior School Certificate Examination test on May 21, 2024, at 7 p.m. in Yarpah Town, River Cess County,” Tequah wrote.
In his communication, he added that the timing of the examination raised questions about the fairness and accessibility of the testing process for all students, noting that administering the exam at such hour could potentially disadvantage students who cannot perform at their best during night hours.
“I believe that plenary intervention in this matter will help shed light on the reasons behind this decision and provide clarity to the people of River Cess,” he added.
Following the reading of the communication, Montserrado’s fourth district representative, Michael Thomas, motioned to turn it over to the House’s Committee on Education to Probe the situation and report within two weeks.
Feature photo by Eric Opa Doue
