Seven (7) students from the Labone Senior High School were barred from writing the Social Studies paper on Monday, August 26, 2024, due to lateness for the WASSCE.

The students reported to the exam hall one hour after the exam had started, causing authorities to prevent them from writing part 2 of the first core subject, Social Studies.

Per the West African Examination Council (WAEC) rules, candidates must be seated 30 mins before the start of a paper.

Addressing the incident, the Headmistress for Labone SHS, Rebecca Acorlor expressed her unhappiness about the unfortunate situation.

According to her, the students’ lateness breached the examination council’s rules, therefore, their prevention from sitting the exam was in accordance with the council’s regulations.

“When the paper starts, we shouldn’t let the students in. These students, this is not the first time, and they have come a whole one hour after the start of the paper so I cannot in any way allow them. I am not happy about it, but this is the situation I find myself in," she said in an interview with some journalists.

The Head of the WAEC National Office, Dr Rosemond Wilson, also commenting on the incident, stressed on the need for officials and candidates to adhere to the rules for the smooth conduct of the exams.

“In our rules and regulations, students are supposed to be seated 30 minutes before the start of a paper, and they are not supposed to go out 30 minutes to the end of a paper. The supervisors are to adhere to this rule for a smooth conduct of the exam and candidates are to give a reason for their lateness,” she said.

According to her, students with peculiar situations can be exempted from punishments, such as the barring of candidates from writing the exam for being late.

“Candidates getting sick and visiting the hospital before coming to write the exam, and candidates with peculiar problems with parents coming in to speak to school authorities about their wards situation to seek permission for their lateness,” she added.

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