President Akufo-Addo has labelled former President John Mahama’s scepticism towards the credibility of the latest West Africa Senior Schools Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results as regrettable.
Former President Mahama, who is also the NDC’s candidate for the 2024 election, has attributed this scepticism to some invigilators’ laxity, which allows teachers to assist students during exams.
This criticism follows the announcement by Education Minister Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum that this year’s examination outcomes are the most outstanding since 2015.
“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,” Mr. Mahama said.
The former President, who was on his “Building Ghana Tour”, stressed that the development will have dire consequences on the country’s educational system in future.
“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”.
But addressing the 187th speech and prize-giving day at the Wesley Girls High School in Cape Coast, President Akufo Addo said the criticism lacks merit.
“Contrary to the normal experience, the large excess and improved quality have gone hand in hand. Long may this continue.
“It is a pity though that the sad nature of aspects of contemporary Ghanaian politics drove some otherwise allegedly responsible people including your former President and current NDC Presidential candidate to question the integrity of the results happily without any foundation and to attribute these results to cheating.
Also read: 2023 WASSCE: We have not compromised on the quality of education – MoE replies Mahama
“Students of Wesley Girls High School, do you cheat in examinations? This loud no will send a strong message to those who expressed these unfortunate, misguided sentiments.”
The president also indicated that the outcome of the 2023 WASSCE results shows the quality of tuition under the free senior high school program.
“The WASSCE results of the students I proudly call the Akufo-Addo graduates have shown that the quality of education has not deteriorated but on the contrary, it has improved significantly.
“The results of the Akufo-Addo graduates in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 are the only years in the past decade that show that more than 50% of the candidates obtained A1 to C6 in all core subjects,” he stressed.