The Deputy Education Minister, Rev. Ntim Fordjour, has said that the government is committed to fulfilling all of its obligations towards the West African Examination Council (WAEC).

He added that the government’s indebtedness to the Council will also be settled.

The Deputy Minister, during a visit to one of the WASSCE centres at Labone Senior High School, expressed content with preparations for the examination.

The minister went through the examination halls, taking brief moments to interact with some candidates.

Shortly after the minister visited some exam halls, the exam was over. And the students were discharged.

It was the first core subject the students had taken for this year’s WASSCE after their practicals, and the excitement and joy of contentment were evident on their faces. Some of the students we interacted with were overjoyed.

“I wasn’t anxious at all. It was easy. I studied, so it wasn’t difficult. I scattered the paper,” With a giggle, Charlotte, a final-year student and a candidate, narrated.

Another candidate, Justice, also corroborated her colleague’s sentiment. ‘‘It was very easy, and I expect all my colleagues to also get it. If you study, you will get it all,” he said.

But beyond this excitement lies the government’s indebtedness to the West African Examination Council, which tends to mar the post-exam period.

Head of WAEC, Dr Rosemond Wilson, said, ”Currently, with the WASSCE, the government has paid money for the pre-exam activities and the conduct of the exam, and we believe by the time we complete this exam, the rest of the monies will also be given for the post-exam activities”.

But the Deputy Minister of Education, who acknowledged the concerns, assured that all obligations towards WAEC would be met in due course.

“The government will fulfil all obligations it has towards WAEC. This will be settled in a way that will enable them to keep supporting the government. They have been a very reliable partner; they’ve been creditable in all the discharge of their mandate, and therefore we are also going to strengthen our commitment. From time to time, you hear some level of indebtedness.

“We make payments time and again. So, it’s not a problem,” he explained.

The Minister, who expressed satisfaction after assessing the progress of the exam at the school, further reaffirmed the government’s commitment to Free Senior High School policy.
Forty-six thousand, six hundred and eleven (46,611) candidates are sitting for this year’s WASSCE examination at 1,000 centres.