WAEC cautions WASSCE candidates reporting late to exam centres

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has cautioned final-year Senior High School students partaking in this year’s West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) to report late to examination centres.

WAEC warning comes after several candidates were prevented from taking the Social Studies paper in the ongoing 2024 WASSCE for School because they reported to the centre more than 30 minutes after the examination had started.

For instance, the headmistress of Labone Senior High School, Rejoice Ahua Akonor, prevented about ten candidates from taking the Social Studies paper, explaining that could not break the rule for the students who were late.

In the Greater Accra region, two schools prevented several students from taking the Social Studies paper in the WASSCE for School because they reported to the centre more than 30 minutes after the examination had started.

At Osu PRESEC, two sets of students were writing the social studies paper. Those from Osu Presec and Osu Salem Senior High School. The examinations were running smoothly; however, some students, numbering about 17, were roaming the compound.

Inquiries revealed that they reported to the examination centre more than 30 minutes late after the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for School had started.

Supervisor for the examination at Osu PRESEC and Headmaster of the School, Vincent Esoah, said 649 students sat for the social studies exams from Osu PRESEC and 299 from Osu Salem Senior High School.

On the candidates who were prevented from taking the exam, he explained that “We started the paper 30 minutes ago, and they are now coming. They have no reason for coming late. I know them.

These are the perpetual latecomers, and it has become their attitude. I will not allow anyone to breach WAEC’s rules for the examinations, especially if you don’t have any good reason. It hasn’t rained, and if you are a serious student, you know you have a WAEC examination, which starts at 8:30; by 8 am, you should be in school.”

Speaking to journalists on the worrying situation, he said, “This is not their first time, and they have come over an hour after the exams started. I cannot in any way allow them in. I’m not happy about it, but this is the situation I find myself in.”

Commenting on the incident, the Head of WAEC, Dr Rosemond Wilson, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination, saying the rules of the examination will always be applied.

“The supervisors are to adhere to the WAEC rules and regulations for a smooth conduct of the exams. Most of the students intentionally come in late, waiting for “apor” and other things. That is why we revised the rules for candidates to come in 30 minutes before the exam starts,” she told the media.

The 2024 edition of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for School Candidates, which commenced with Visual Art Project work on August 5, 2024, will end on Friday, September 20, 2024.

A total of 460,611 candidates representing 212,954 males and 247,657 females from 1,003 Senior High Schools across the country are participating in the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for School.

Ongoing at 1,000 centres across the country, the management of the not-for-profit-making organization, in a statement sighted by Pretertiary.com, said the figure is 2.66% higher than the 2023 entry figure of 448,674.