MONROVIA, Montserrado – Some 12th-grade students in the country have expressed frustration over the cancellation of the senior high school certificate examination administered by the West African Examinations Council.
The Ministry of Education announced on Sunday that the exam has been cancelled due to reports that copies of the test had gone missing.
At least one booklet was stolen from each of the nine WAEC subjects from the Seventh Day Adventist Konola Mission School in Margibi County. The tests were allegedly stolen by unknown individuals who broke into the offices of three of the school’s administrators on Saturday night.
However, Ministry of Education and WAEC Liberia office have condemned the act and announced that investigation has been launched.
They also announced June 27-July 1 as the new timetable for the exam.
Meanwhile, the principal, a vice principal, and the registrar of the Konola Mission are currently undergoing investigation by police.
Elvis Gono, a journalist in Margibi, told The Bush Chicken that the three administrators are being held in connection to the burglary of their offices, one of which stored the exam materials.
Abraham Wleh, a senior student of the Hope International School in Gardnerville said the cancellation will cause serious setbacks for them, especially senior students who did not take the exam last year because of the Ebola outbreak.
“It is very much discouraging to see ourselves sitting for another month and seeing our time being wasted,†he said.
He said the cancellation sends out a negative impression about the country’s educational system.
Dell Page, another senior student attending the Noah Arm High School in Monrovia, said he was astonished about the news of the test being cancelled due to alleged malpractices.
Page said it was embarrassing because students depend on the timely result of the WAEC exam to move on with their lives, either to pursue higher educational opportunities or to facilitate other engagements that require WAEC certificates.
“We are really downhearted and disappointed,†he noted.
Omodu Mollay a school teacher in Margibi condemned the act of burglary and stealing of exam papers.
Mollay called on educational authorities to fast-track investigations into the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice.
He wondered why individuals would engage in exam malpractices when they had a long time to prepare for the test.
“As far as I am concern, the exam comprises materials covered from the curriculum and is never strange to the students,†he said.
He called on students to overcome the psychological trauma caused by the cancellation and focus on the new dates of the test.
Featured photo by Bruce StrongÂ
