Regional News of Friday, 8 July 2005

Source: GNA

Discourage students from November/December examinations

Koforidua, July 8, GNA- The headmaster of Koforidua Secondary/Technical School (SECTECH), Mr John Kwame Bempong has suggested that final year students of Senior Secondary Schools should be discouraged from registering for the November/December examinations of the West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC). He explained that, some of the students after registration do not take their final Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations (SSSCE) seriously because of the expectation that they could better their results even if they do not do well after the June examinations.

Mr Bempong in an interview with the GNA in Accra on Wednesday, said if students were prevented from taking part in the November/December Examinations, they could work hard to pass their final examinations once and for all, so that their parents do not spend extra monies on examinations. He expressed worry that some students use moneys meant for school fees to register for the November/December SSSCE resulting in headmasters chasing them for school fees arrears owned to schools during their final examinations.

Mr Bempong said: "Some of them are desperate and know they are not going to make it at the school certificate and therefore engage in tricks thus making our work difficult". He also expressed worry about the placing of WAEC results of students on the website adding, "it is a good idea but it seems this is also making the students not to pay for their school fees". Mr Bempong advised parents to pay their children's school fees on time to avoid the situation whereby students are sent home when examinations are due because of non-payment of fees.