Today marks the commencement of the 2023 West African Senior School Certificate Examination for School Candidates (WASSCE-SC) in the country, with project works in three subjects: Basketry, Ceramics, and Graphic Design.
A significant number of candidates, totaling 447,204, with 211,834 males and 235,370 females, are set to take the test across 834 examination centers throughout the country. The total candidature represents an increase of 24,321 over last year’s candidature of 422,883.
The assessment involves final-year students from 975 second cycle schools, making it the second time this specific version of WASSCE-SC is being held in Ghana.
To ensure the smooth conduct of the examination, a dedicated team of 834 supervisors, 2,243 assistant supervisors, and 14,907 invigilators has been appointed to oversee the process.
It is noteworthy that Ghanaian candidates are taking the Ghana Only WASSCE-SC for the second consecutive time, as the other four-member countries of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), namely Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and The Gambia, have reverted to their traditional May/June schedule and have already administered the WASSCE for their school candidates.
This decision was taken to streamline academic calendars, with these countries returning to their regular schedule after the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. In contrast, Ghana adheres to the ‘new normal’ calendar, leading to the scheduling discrepancy.
In light of the upcoming examination, Wendy Enyonam Addy-Lamptey, the Head of National Office (HNO) of WAEC, has conveyed her well-wishes to all candidates. She also sternly cautioned against engaging in any form of cheating, as such actions could result in the withholding of their examination results for further investigations.
She said parents and school authorities should also advise their children and students against taking mobile phones to the examination halls.
“To the candidates, I want to tell you that you can pass your examination without cheating .
Make sure you prepare well for the papers and read the questions very well before answering them,” she emphasised.
