General News of Monday, 22 June 2015

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

BECE Cancellation: GNAT defends WAEC Board

West African Examination CouncilWest African Examination Council

The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) says the Board of the West African Examination Council (WAEC) cannot be blamed for leakage of papers that led to the council cancelling five papers last Wednesday.

According to the largest teachers group in Ghana, there is currently no evidence linking the leakage to the activities of the board.

General Secretary of GNAT, Veni Demanya in an interview with Accra-based Citi FM proposed that instead of calling for dissolution of the board, thorough investigations should be carried out, a position that is contrary to that of another teachers' group; the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT).

“As to the board being dissolved, I don’t see the linkage between what happened and the board, what they (NAGRAT) are asking means that if something happens in the country and because the President is the President of Ghana, he should step aside…we should look at it very well,” he stated.

According to him, even though GNAT was disturbed at the leakage; “... there is the need for thorough investigation because we have instances over the years where there have been leakages so we should go down and check if it is the people who set the questions, those who go to pick the type of questions, those who print or type the questions.”

Late last week, NAGRAT held a press conference where they blamed the board of WAEC for the leakage and called for its dissolution. They also demanded that the Head of Ghana National Office of WAEC, Rev Nii Nmai Ollennu be dismissed.

Their call was because the Council has failed Ghanaian teachers and students by failing to “bring WAEC up to speed with 21st-century virtual securities.” The students are expected to re-sit the exams on 29 – 30 June, 2015. WAEC has said that they would take full cost of the re-sit.