The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has stood by its decision to prevent 154 candidates from Sekondi College from writing Thursday’s Chemistry theory and objective papers, insisting that examination regulations do not allow late entry into the hall.
The clarification comes after the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) of the school appealed for the affected students to be given another opportunity. According to the PTA, the students arrived late due to heavy rainfall and were denied entry by an external invigilator.
Speaking to Citi News, WAEC’s Head of Public Affairs, John Kapi, emphasised that the examination is conducted simultaneously across the West African sub-region, making strict adherence to rules critical for maintaining the credibility of the process.
He noted that preliminary reports received by WAEC showed the students were already on campus and did not need to travel far to reach the examination hall.
“The information reaching us indicates that some were at the ICT lab, some were in the classroom, some were in the dormitories; they didn’t have to travel any distance to get to the examination hall,” he said.
Mr. Kapi added that some candidates were already seated and writing the paper, suggesting that factors other than the weather may have contributed to the lateness of the affected group.
He made it clear that the students would not be given a special chance to rewrite the paper and would instead have to register for the next available examination cycle.
“They will only have a chance to rewrite in another cycle of examination. So, for example, if we are going to conduct a NOV/DEC this year, they are at liberty to register and write,” he stated.
The incident has generated significant debate among parents and education stakeholders, with many calling for compassion and leniency given the weather-related challenges faced by the students.
WAEC, however, maintains that upholding examination rules uniformly is essential to preserving the integrity of its assessments.
