Mr Angel Carbonu, the President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), has questioned why foreign exams supervised by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) in Ghana never leak, while the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) face constant leakages.
In an interview with Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, Carbonu revealed that WAEC supervises foreign exams written in Ghana almost every week, and these exams are conducted under strict guidelines that prevent leakages.
However, he noted that the council does not use the same approach for the BECE and WASSCE.
“Let me make this revelation to you,” he stated. “In Ghana, we write foreign exams administered by WAEC almost every weekend, and they involve candidates from the USA, European Union, London, and other countries. Yet, I have never heard of a single leakage. So, we must identify where our problem lies and find a solution.”
Mr Carbonu believes that while exam malpractice is a persistent challenge, we must finally deal with it once and for all.
He proposed a collective approach to the issue but emphasised that the government must take a leading role in ending the problem.
He said, “Exam malpractice during the BECE and WASSCE is not a new phenomenon, but it is a troubling issue we must deal with completely. Why should a 12-year-old even write an exam and have it cancelled because of malpractice? We have a collective duty, especially the government, to declare that we will no longer tolerate examination malpractice.”
Mr Angel Carbonu also holds parents accountable as collaborators in this issue, blaming them for paying money to buy ‘apor’ (leaked questions). “You can’t blame only the students taking the exams,” he asserted.
“Parents are also at fault because they are the ones who pay when their children ask for money to buy ‘apor’ for GHC 500.”
He further argued that some individuals within the system allow the practice to continue.
“Some people also want their children to pass the exams at all costs, claiming it will bring honor to their schools and communities,” he explained. “These are some of the reasons we have not been able to deal with examination malpractice.”
When asked to identify solutions, he proposed intensified public education and urged the law to deal ruthlessly with those behind the leakages to serve as a deterrent to others.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
