In a significant development, the Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Basic and Senior Secondary Education has unveiled plans to address the ongoing crisis surrounding the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in Sierra Leone.
This was revealed in a press release issued on 30th May 2024, signed by Hon. Alpha Fodie Madie Jabbie, Chairman, Parliamentary Committee on Basic and Senior Secondary Education.
Since February 2024, concerns over the malfunctioning of the WAEC Portal and Comprehensive Assessment of School Statistics (CASS) entries have plagued the education sector. The committee, comprising members from various political parties and paramount chiefs, has been actively engaged in negotiations with WAEC and the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) to find solutions.
Efforts to reopen the portals for late entries were unsuccessful, prompting the committee and MBSSE to explore alternatives. Despite attempts to include affected students in the August WASSCE series in Ghana, WAEC cited logistical constraints, leaving the November/December series as the only viable option.
Recognizing the distress of parents and guardians, the committee pledges to ensure affected students can sit for the exams at no cost to them, with the government covering all fees. However, the exact number of affected students remains uncertain due to discrepancies in school records, including fake results and ghost candidates.
The MBSSE is diligently verifying school lists to determine legitimate candidates, urging the public to await official figures. Severe penalties await those found culpable for the debacle, emphasizing the government’s commitment to the Free Quality Education Programme.
