<<Print>>

Today, about 468,053 Junior High School pupils would be taking part in the 2017 Basic Education Certificate examination across the country as they prepare for their journey into Senior High School.

Aside the continuation into SHS, these pupils are lucky in the sense that they are going to be first beneficiaries of the free Senior High School education policy being introduced by the Akufo-Addo-led New Patriotic Party government, and scheduled to commence this September.

We believe these pupils, knowing the opportunity that has been presented to them by the President, would do all that it takes, legitimately, to pass their exams and utilize the free SHS programme.

It is not for nothing at all that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has assured that his government would prioritize education and make sure that the funds that come from the natural resources of the state are invested in the future of the youth, other than ending up in the pockets of some few people.

The youth are the bedrock of the development of the country. And to have a government give this firm assurance is an indication of better things to come in the future.

It is in this regard that we entreat parents and stakeholders in the educational sector to give their utmost support to the youth and encourage them in their academic pursuit.

Prior to today’s BECE, one thing we noticed was how individuals and groups supported these pupils in their communities by donating several educational materials to aid these pupils.

Sarah Adwoa Sarfo, MP for Dome Kwabenya, for instance, donated mathematical sets worth GHc40, 000 to about 4,000 BECE candidates in 160 schools in her constituency. This is very commendable and we know in the coming years others will do same.

Unfortunately, over the past years, we had been confronted with one examination leakage or the other, which had resulted in cancelation of particular papers, and creating needless problems for the candidates and their parents, in particular, and the educational system as a whole.

We, therefore, urge the West African Examination Council to put in the required measures to forestall an occurrence of similar incidents in this year’s examination.

We know the periodic leakages of examination questions is not just the work of an individual but a group, right from the WAEC officials to the teachers. This must be checked to secure the integrity of the examination.

And to the BECE candidates, as was said by the President during the Independence Awards to students who excelled in last year’s BECE, there is no shortcut to success.

We appeal to them not to engage in any examination malpractice that could jeopardize their future. Instead, they should follow the guidelines and rules set out by WAEC, and we know they would not only make their parents proud, but the nation as a whole.