The West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) begun today with call on candidates to desist from borrowing materials in examination halls in the advent of COVID-19 pandemic.

Candidates have been advised to therefore get their own stationary before entering examination halls.

Speaking to the GNA, Mrs Agnes Teye-Cudjoe, head of Public Affairs, National Office, West African Examinations Council also reminded candidates that the council’s examination rules were still in force.

According to Mrs Teye-Cudjoe the ban on use of Mobile Phones and other foreign materials in examination halls and no talking rule were still in force.

She said WAEC adequately put in place security measures to ensure the smooth examination devoid of malpractices and was also relying on the existing protocols by the Ghana Education Service as the examinations began with project work for Visual Arts candidates.
The project work included; basketry, paintings and woodwork.

Mrs Teye-Cudjoe recounted that due to the COVID-19 pandemic sitting arrangements were enhanced with 1.45 metre rules in terms of social distancing and appealed to candidates to ignore fake websites who may display questions purportedly from WAEC.

According to her, WAEC was collaborating with security agencies to halt the activities of fake website operators although their activities continued to be a challenge.

"This is because as soon as one website is pulled down another one emerges with a new name," she added.

This year’s WASSCE will be written by 313,897 final year students.

The examination is expected to end on September 5, this year.

A total of 65,380 candidates are expected to do their Visual Arts project work.