THE RESPONSE OF GHANAIANS TO THE 2014 WASCE RESULTS. A FEIGNED SURPRISE? I am perplexed at the level of consternation being expressed by Ghanaians at the 2014 WASCE results. Is it the statistics that has confounded us to this level of anger? I thought for a very long time we have all been bemoaning the rather deteriorating level in the quality of education in the country. I thought we have all been complaining about the type of students being churned out yearly by our educational institutions. So why do we seem to be so incensed by the 2014 WASCE results? Perhaps it was the way the papers reported it. Yes! The banner headline. Otherwise, why would we be so enraged at a result which, according to officiadom, is a much improvement on previous ones? That is if -and that is a big if -we are inclined to believe their tales. By discarding all the pitiful explanations offerered to elucidite the statistics, I believe Ghanaians are just being themselves. Just simulate surprise at something you are fully privy to in order to get the basis to bluster. My understanding is that, last year 2013, some 53% of WASCE candidates managed to qualify for entry into our universities. That is, they managed to get the C6 or better grades in six subjects including the mandatory 3 core subjects of english, mathematics and science. Mind you, your qualification for selection does not automatically guarantee you an admission in a university. Now, according to the news, the result showed a drop in the percentage of candidates from 53% in 2013 to 28% in 2014. It is this 25% fall in pass rate that has generated all the brouhaha. I do not want to involve myself in any needles argument about whose regime had the best WASCE result. A 53% or 28% pass rate of candidates in an examination is absolutely unacceptable anywhere in the world. You cannot build a country with this kind of mediocre educational standard. Shall I say that I am not in the least surprised at the 2014 WASCE results? I believe it to be the true reflection of the standard of education on Ghana today. That anything better than the 28% pass rate is a result fraudulently procured. All those results touted stupidly as impressive have been generated in than a decade of extreme forms of examination malpratices. Talk of situations where head masters, teachers, WAEC supervisors, police personnel on duty at examination centres, invigilators, parents, assemblymen and students all conspire to engage in mass cheating. Meanwhile WAEC was receiving bad publicity. They have been accused of not doing enough to reign in the high levels of examination malpratices. So it decided to act. And they acted by just changing and aspect of its modus operandi. They acted by shuffling their invigilators around. Kiki SHS teachers should go and invigilate at Kookoase SHS and Mmiframfadwene SHS teachers should go to Mana SHS and so on. And the result? Splendid! 28%! And everybody is shouting his voice hoarse. If anything, WAEC must be commended for unveiling to us the true state of our education standard. So instead of blustering on radio about some silly for this state of affairs and trying to massage public opinion to accept this shameful results, I would suggest we do a rethinking on the manner we have treated education in this country. Let us cut the crap and get serious! For a civilized society is one that educates its young ones and look after its old ones! Amen!
Posted on: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 16:46:11 +0000
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