There is a saying in Akan that, if you don’t have anything for your in-law, you don’t also steal from her. It will be the understatement of the century to say that young people in Ghana face extraordinary challenges for the future and to be competitive in the global economy. Ghanaian political leaders across the political divide have bitterly failed to transform the economy and to establish any solid foundation for the next generation. How many times under the Fourth Republic have we not heard from one politician or another that they have laid the foundation and the economy is ready to take off? From an aviation standpoint, the aircraft that is the Ghanaian economy that was supposed to take off since 1992 is still grounded as of December 2023!
So it really gets on my nerves that the current government, through the Minister of Education, initially sought to score political points with the results of the 2023 West Africa Senior Schools Certificate Examination (WASSCE). Then formal President Mahama, in his bid to take away any political points from the NPP, is reported to have said, among others, that, “In many places, they let the children cheat. You go to places and the teachers are conniving with the students to cheat. The effect will be seen later.”
We are already in the 2024 political season, no doubt. But think about it: has there EVER been any second cycle examination in Ghana, since the West African Examination Council (WAEC) was established in 1952, in which there were ZERO exam malpractices? Can you give me one single year that WAEC reported ZERO exam malpractices in the 71 years of its history? Do we brush all candidates in any particular year with the same brush of ‘cheats’, in spite of whatever malpractice report WAEC issues?
In the 2023 WASSCE exams, WAEC, as they usually do, sanctioned candidates who, from their investigations, engaged in one malpractice or another. That should end the discussion. The effect of President Mahama’s comments, without naming the specific schools and teachers who he claims cheated, is to cast a doubt on the results of ALL candidates who got good grades in the 2023 WASSCE exams. Every higher educational institution around the world will now have suspicions or doubts about ALL of these candidates. That is totally unfair and unacceptable.
President Mahama is also quoted to have said during the same speech that, “You certify these children saying they are of this standard either the BECE or SSCE, and that child will use that certificate, go abroad to a school and they will find out that your qualification is not up to the standard you say it is”. Again, this is so not right. If you allege that throughout their Senior High School education, they have not been well taught and educated, then I can relate to those comments. End-of-school examination alone is not an indication of the education and knowledge a person acquired during their 3-4 years period in school. Take myself as an example. I was one of the bright students during my secondary school at Mighty JAPASS. Unfortunately for me, I fell ill during the final O-Level exams and had to write several of my papers at the St. Michael’s Hospital in Pramso. I still got grades that were good enough to get admission to the then Labone Secondary School. My point really is that final exams are not necessarily a guide as to whether or not an individual will succeed in their future endeavours.
I understand the Free SHS is a political hot potato and that’s in fact the main raison d’être for all this credit and discredit of WASSCE results. Facts first: haven’t there been WASSCE graduates under the FSHS who have gained admission to Ivy League universities in the US as well as other universities in Ghana and around the world? You can oppose the FSHS for any number of reasons but, for crying out loud, don’t attack these graduates who have had to put up with changing policy on education that you the politicians always initiate! These graduates deserve your support and encouragement, not being turned into political football that in the long term will destroy their hopes and aspirations! Think and stop playing political football with the future of WASSCE graduates. And that goes for the NPP and the NDC!
Kwaku Antwi-Boasiako
Accra, December 29, 2023
