By Joyce Danso
Accra, Aug. 15, GNA – The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) says it is positioning itself to deploy more technology in its operations to ensure that assessment of results remains credible.
“As we look forward to the years ahead, we are positioning ourselves to deploy technology even more in our processes to ensure that our assessment results remain credible.”
Mrs Wendy E. Addy-Lamptey, the Head of the National Office, WAEC, was speaking at the Council’s Stakeholders Forum aimed at giving the public an insight into its operations to create mutual understanding.
Mrs Addy-Lamptey therefore appealed to the public to refrain from putting out false information that seeks to erode the credibility of its examination and affect the acceptance of results internationally.
“As the office prepares to begin the administration of theory papers for the ongoing WASSCE, I wish to urge members of the public to refrain from putting out false information as this erodes the credibility of our examinations and affects the acceptance of results internationally.”
The forum which formed part of the WAEC’s 70th anniversary celebration was on the theme: “Seventy years of Reliable Educational Assessment- the Journey, Challenges and the way forward.”
The forum attracted students from various schools, past and present staff of WAEC, members of Conference of Heads of Assistant Secondary Schools (CHASS) among others.
Mrs Addy-Lamptey noted that in recent times, WAEC was blamed when candidates writing examinations of Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET) were caught cheating at Bolgatanga and Bawku Technical Institutes.
She said the counsel received calls from International and national stakeholders on the issue and urged the media to authenticate information regarding examinations.
“Our friends from the media, we wish to gently remind you that it’s our collective responsibility to ensure that we do not erode the credibility of our certificates by incorrect reporting.
We urge you to authenticate information that you come across regarding examinations: our doors at WAEC are always open.”
To this year’s WASSCE Candidates she noted that rogue websites had started their nefarious activities and cautioned them to be mindful and not to be led astray as the council was collaborating with national security agencies in the administration of this year’s examination.
On the Council’s 70th anniversary, Mrs Addy-Lamptey said WAEC had gone through challenges in its bid to carry out its mandate over the years and commended all workers for making the council a world class examining body.
Mr Emmanuel S Brew, Head Administration, noted that 70 years in the life of an institution was no mean achievement, adding the council started with a candidate population of 35,000 in 1954.
“The entries rose to 400,000 in 1964, over 1,000,000 in 1976, over 2,000,000in (about 50.8 km) the year 2000 and in excess of 3,500,000 in 2021.”
WAEC, established in 1952, is an examination board established by law to determine the examinations required in the public interest in English -Speaking West African Countries, to conduct examinations and award certificates comparable to those of equivalent examining authorities internationally.
GNA