The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has cancelled the Government One and Two papers, which were written on Monday, April 22, in this year’s West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
According to the Principal Public Affairs Officer of WAEC, Mrs Agnes Teye-Cudjoe, in the course of routine inspection during the examination, some candidates were found with materials which suggested that the Government papers had been compromised.
She said the papers would be re-administered from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Friday, May 17, 2013.
“The cancellation of the papers was the only option to demonstrate the council’s abhorrence for examination malpractice of any sort and safeguard the integrity of the ongoing examination,” she said.
She urged all heads of schools to take note of the action and make the necessary arrangements for the affected candidates to re-sit the Government One and Two papers.
“Candidates are reassured that they can pass their examinations without cheating,” Mrs Teye-Cudjoe said.
She stated that investigations were going on to determine the full facts of the malpractice.
Meanwhile, she has warned candidates against examination malpractice, such as carrying foreign materials, mobile phones, programmed calculators or other electronic communication devices into the examination halls.
“Offences such as mass cheating, leaked questions, taking question papers or answer booklets out, tearing any part of the paper/answer booklet, insulting or assaulting an invigilator/supervisor inside or outside the examination hall will lead to the cancellation of a candidate’s or an entire school’s results, while the culprits could be barred from writing WAEC examinations or even imprisoned,” she added.
The May/June 2013 WASSCE began on April 10 with English Orals.
In all, 409,832 candidates, the highest number so far in the history of WAEC, from 742 public and private schools are writing the examination.
In Ghana, the candidates are writing 58 papers on four core and 54 elective subjects.
The examination is scheduled to end on May 17.
Story: Hadiza Nuhhu-Billa Quansah