Teachers vow to prevent candidate from taking the BECE

Accra, April 24, GNA - Teachers of Cosmos School at Lapaz on Monday vowed to prevent a candidate from their school, Belinda Boya Onyah from writing the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) because they claimed she was not well prepared for the examination.

The teachers numbering about 10 said Belinda had absented her from classes for 45 days prior to the beginning examination and would not make it and it would affect the image of the school.

This came to light when Ms Elizabeth Ohene, Minister of State in-charge of Tertiary Education and Mr Ampofo Twumasi, Deputy Minister of Education in-charge of Secondary and Technical Education, visited some examination centres to find out how the examination was being conducted.

They were accompanied by Mr Micheal Kenneth Nsowah, Acting Director-General of Ghana Education Service (GES); Ms Akosua Adu, Greater Accra Regional Director of Education and West African Examination Council (WAEC) staff visited some of the centres in Accra to find out how the examination was being conducted. The 2006 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) began throughout the country with English Language and Religious and Moral Education as the first papers.

Belinda had registered through the school and was to take the examination at Achimota School.

At the time the Team got to Achimota School all the candidates were ready to take the examination but Belinda was prevented from entering the examination hall.

The Team's attention was drawn to the problem and when Mr Ampofo Twumasi went to intervene, the teachers shouted at both the Deputy Minister and the Regional Director of Education saying they would never allow her to write it.

Mr Ampofo Twumasi insisted and asked the supervisor to send her in to the take the examination. He said the girl had registered and had the right to take the examination.

Mr Micheal Nartey, Director of Academic Affairs of the School, explained that the school had the similar experience in 2005 and those involved did not perform well so they did not want it repeated. He said teachers in private schools were agents of the students and had the responsibility to ensure that the investment made by the parents was not thrown away.

He said though Belinda owes the school it was not because of the school fees that they did not want her to write but due to non-attendance to classes.

He said Belinda started her education at the nursery level in Cosmos and the teachers were more concerned about her future so they made arrangements with the parents for her to attend free classes and take the examination next year.

He said the school bus conveyed the candidates to the centre without Belinda but when they reached the centre Belinda came on her own to write the examination.

Briefing the press later, Mr Ampofo Twumasi said he was surprised at the behaviour and the attitude the teachers showed towards their Regional Director of Education.

He said all schools whether private or public were under the Regional Directorate of Education and whatever problems they encountered they had the right to discuss it with Directorate. He said there were procedures that should be followed by school authorities anytime such a problem occurred adding that protecting school's image should not blindfold them to do anything unconventional. He said the Ministry would not take kindly if schoolteachers should go ahead after he had left the centre to prevent the girl from taking the examination "As citizens they must abide by the established procedures and rules in order to ensure peaceful co-existence," he said. Mr Ampofo Twumasi expressed his disappointment at the behaviour of some of the invigilators, who failed to turn up, saying it was a voluntary work and that whoever did not want to invigilate should give prior notice to WAEC before the examination day.

Mr Ampofo Twumasi commended supervisors for managing to replace absentee invigilators at a rather short notice.

A total of 308,325 candidates are taking the examination out of which 168, 945 are males and 139,380 are females. There are 8,079 schools taking the examination at 1,121 centres.

At the Osu Presbyterian Secondary it was observed that candidates were ready for the examination but the papers had not yet been brought from West African Examination Council Office.

The candidates, who were relaxed, however, began the examination immediately the papers were brought in. The invigilators conducted thorough search on the candidates before allowing them into the examination hall.

Mrs Denise Welbeck, Headmistress of the School, said there were seven schools with total number of 383 candidates at centre. The same problem of late arrival of papers was experienced at Accra Girls Secondary School. There were two examination centres with a total of 549 candidates from 15 schools.

Mrs Veronica Akapame, Headmistress of the School, said apart from seven candidates, who were absent, all other registered candidates arrived early and were ready to take the examination. Meanwhile 13 candidates were absent at the Centre at Achimota School. Some Invigilators too were absent. Arrangement was made for some Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers to invigilate but they were placed at centres where there were no candidates from their own schools.