The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Zabzugu in the Northern Region, Alhassan Umar, on Friday posed an urgent question to the minister of education as to what the ministry was doing about the cancellation of Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results of 350 students from his (MP’s) constituency.

According to the MP, the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) cancelled the Integrated Science examination results of pupils from Duvugu JHS, Nuria JHS, Rajia JHS and Gor JHS, who sat for the BECE examination at the Zabzugu Senior High School centre, adding that the innocent pupils should not be unduly punished for the negligence of officials who are directly or indirectly connected with the conduct of the examination.

The Education Minister, Mathew Opoku Prempeh, said the paper was cancelled because there was massive malpractice and cheating in that subject – as was found by WAEC – that was why that particular subject was cancelled.

According to the minister, since it is one centre that the malpractice took place, the students would not have the opportunity to re-write that particular paper, unless they register again and write it as private candidates in February, next year.

“We don’t need to condone examination malpractices but rather encourage our students all the time to learn hard and write their final examinations without cheating,” the minister stressed.

He said by the introduction of the private BECE, the students whose Integrated Science examination was cancelled could have another chance to write it as private candidates.

Mr Alhassan Umar however, said that it was unfortunate that those innocent children be treated that way.

He said for the affected children not to become school drop-outs and a burden on the society, he would take it upon himself to register all of them to sit for the private BECE examination.

“I am very much concerned about the plight of these innocent children and I will do everything possible to ensure that they re-write the BECE and continue with their education,” he said.