SANNIQUELLIE, Nimba – Moses S. Dologbay, Nimba’s county education officer, has warned schools against demanding that graduating seniors pay graduation fees before being allowed to take the ongoing West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations.

Dologbay said his warning was a result of unverified reports suggesting that some school administrators were charging those fees as a prerequisite to taking the tests. He directed schools involved to immediately desist, as anyone caught would have to “answer questions” at the Ministry of Education in Monrovia.

“It’s still a rumor,” he said. “But what I am hearing now is that some schools are stopping our [WASSCE] candidates, based on graduation fees.”

He said school administrators can collect students’ graduation fees after the test is administered. Dologbay called on students to remain focused on the exam, which started on Tuesday and is expected to last for the next three weeks.

“We want our children who are sitting the WASSCE to avoid… all social activities for this one month—let them stop going in the streets and focus on their lesson—let them try to study,” he said, adding that he wanted a high number of students from Nimba to pass.

It is estimated that 34,000 students are taking the WASSCE for the first-ever nationwide administration of the test. Pres. George Weah waived the fees for all graduating seniors this year and Dologbay thanked the president for the gesture.

Dologbay also commended the National Teachers Association of Liberia’s Nimba branch for their level of cooperation in helping the Nimba County School System move forward.

Featured photo by Arrington Ballah