WASSCE chaos in Ghana schools: What we know so far

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Early this week, Ghana recorded chaotic scenes in many of its pre-tertiary schools in the ongoing 2020 West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

The near-daily protests have led to some injuries and destruction of public and private property.

Questions have also been raised about the country’s education system following the violence.

Here’s what we know so far about the exam and protests that followed:

What happened?

The first to come to the spotlight was the Tweneboa Kodua Senior High School at Sekyere Kumawu in the Ashanti Region.

On Monday, August 3, the students protested against the headteacher, John Asante Bawuah for being too strict at the examination hall.

The students’ actions nearly halted Paper 2 of the Integrated Science exam. 

“So, for now, a committee has been set up to look into the matter”, said District Chief Executive for the area, Samuel Addai Agyekum.

Similar incidents were also recorded at Juaben, Battor, Adanwomase, Ekumfi Ameyaw, Tamale, Sekondi, and Ndewura Jakpa Schools.

Police were deployed to each of the schools to restore calm as the students vandalized properties in the process.

Bloody clashes at Bright SHS; WAEC officials, Graphic reporter injured

A spontaneous attack on officials of the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) also prompted  police response on Thursday, August 6.

Students of private-owned Bright Senior High School in the Eastern Region unleashed terror on these officials after the proprietor of the school, Mr. Bright Amponsah reportedly had a confrontation with the officials during the Social Studies paper.

“Before we realized, the students had surrounded us. Once they surrounded us, then [the proprietor] gave them the command to beat us. Then they started beating us”, the CNR quoted one of the officials, Nii Djan Mensah, as saying.

A reporter with state newspaper the Daily Graphic was also attacked. The proprietor of the school was later arrested by the police and later granted bail.

Management of the school has since denied the allegations. A statement from the school read: “the principal and the teachers could not have instructed the students to stop writing the paper and leave the school premises as has been reported”.

The statement sought to condemn “any act of violence, assault, damage to property and any such similar vices and will not condone any student or teacher to perpetrate such activities.”

Bright SHS relocated, 14 students dismissed, three teachers interdicted over WASSCE chaos

The Ghana Education Service (GES) and the WAEC have taken a series of actions against some students and teachers following the riots.

The GES, for instance, has dismissed some 14 students namely; 

1. Nicholas Cobbinah – Sekondi College

2. Kardimell Suapim- Sekondi College

3. John Kwofie- Sekondi College

4. Simon Ameyibor (Senior Prefect) – Tweneboah Koduah SHS

5. Thomas Anokye – Tweneboah Koduah SHS

6. Juliet Amoakowaa – Tweneboah Koduah SHS

7. Emmanuel Ashiangmor – Battor SHS

8. Peter Sissi – Battor SHS

9. Ameka Nyamiitse – Battor SHS

10.Shadrack Daitey – Battor SHS

11. Alfred Attiso – Battor SHS

12. Solomon Brako – Juaben SHS

13. Albert Agyekum – Juaben SHS

14. Robert  Inkoom – Juaben SHS

Some three teachers have also been asked to step aside pending investigations. 

They are Thomas Anokye and Joseph Andoh of Tweneboa Kodua SHS and Evans Yeboah of Kade SHTS.

On its part, the WAEC also relocated the Bright SHS to the Ofori Panin SHS. The school also risks being closed as WAEC said it will no longer be recognized as an examination center.

What others are saying

The country’s largest teacher union, the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has lauded the decision.

“The sanctions that have been applied to these perpetrators are in the right direction… But it should not end here. The issue about discipline, dishonesty, and the rest that are criminal should be punished. And if it has come out that our members who are teachers are part of the problem, we have code of conduct and the rules will have to be applied”, said President of GNAT, Philipa Larsen.

Education think-tank, Africa Education Watch has a different view.

“Under which law did the GES derive its authority to ban candidates of WAEC from writing an exam”, its President, Kofi Asare quizzed adding: “The Director-General must go and read Awuni Vrs WAEC and stop running this ambulance service cover-up for its inefficiencies”.

The 2020 WASSCE commenced on July 20 with 313,837 candidates from Ghana.

The writing of exam theory papers started on Monday and will end on Sept. 5.

Source: Daily Mail GH