1,833 candidates writing WASSCE in Dormaa Central with 19 absentees

File Photo of students sitting for WASSCE

A total of 1,833 candidates from four Senior High Schools (SHSs) are writing the West Africa Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in Dormaa Central Municipality of the Bono Region.

The Dormaa and Salvation Army SHSs which are government-assisted presented 1,090 candidates while the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) and Adehyeman SHSs, privately-owned institutions were also 743 candidates for the examination.

Nineteen candidates were absent, Mr. Michael Ignatius Anaisie, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) for the Municipal Education Directorate, said in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Thursday at Dormaa-Ahenkro.

He added, however, that as was the case in previous examination, there has been no reported case of pregnancy in this year's examination in the Municipality

The absentee candidates included six, five boys and a girl from the Salvation Army SHS and eight others, five boys and three girls, from the Adehyeman SHS, Mr. Anaisie said and added that CAC SHS had no absentees but the remaining five absentees were from the Dormaa SHS.

Regarding why those candidates were absent, he said they did not report to school on Monday, June 22 when President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced for final year students to return to their various schools to prepare ahead of the examination.

Mr. Anaisie said the Education Directorate had asked the affected schools authorities to contact the parents and guardians of the absentee candidates to ascertain the cause and report back for record purpose.

He said in compliance with social and physical distancing protocols, a 1.5 metre space were maintained between the candidates in the examination halls by the invigilators.

"Additionally, a hand sanitizer was placed on the table of each candidate and they wear nose masks throughout the period of the examination. A Veronica bucket containing water has been placed in front of each examination hall for hand washing with soap under running water before entry by candidates," Mr. Anaisie added.