The first batch of beneficiaries of Free Senior High School education in Ghana is set to begin final year Examination from today, 20th July 2020.
About three hundred and thirteen thousand, eight hundred and thirty-seven (313,837) final year Senior High School students are expected to take part in this year’s WASSCE which commences on Monday, 20th July.
In response to growing health concern about the Coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19), the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) in Nigeria, which comprises of Nigeria, Ghana, Gambia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, decided to put on hold the conduct of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for School Candidates, 2020, earlier scheduled to commence on April 6, 2020.
The examination body made the decision as a demonstration of the organization’s concern and support for the various protocols being put in place by the Federal and State Governments of Nigeria and the governments of the other member countries to check the spread of the disease.
Secondary school graduating students who live in the five English-speaking countries write the WASSCE, which is organized by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
Nigeria and the three other countries are considering a new date for this year’s WASSCE, which Nigeria has temporarily pulled out from.
The West African Examination Council (WAEC) is however organizing an independent West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for Ghanaian candidates this year as a result of the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) which has resulted in the closure of schools in West Africa.
Statement from Ghana’s President Akufo-Addo
“I send best wishes to the three hundred and thirteen thousand, eight hundred and thirty-seven (313,837) final year Senior High School students, who will, from Monday, 20th July, take the West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
“Every Ghanaian acknowledges that education is the key to the future of our country. We, therefore, must do everything possible, even in the midst of a pandemic, to guarantee the prospects of our youth, protect their potential, and, thereby, help preserve our collective future.”
“Just as has been done over the course of the last four weeks, since their return to school, I continue to urge everyone associated with the conduct of this year’s WASSCE, i,e. teaching and non-teaching staff, invigilators, and students, to abide by the enhanced hygiene, mask-wearing, and social distancing protocols they have become accustomed to. They continue to remain our weapons in the fight to defeat COVID-19.”
Once again, I wish all the students the best of luck and Godspeed in their examination.
Source: Mybrytfmonline/Kofi Atakora
