“University Entrance Exams To Replace WASSCE ” Misleading
News has it that the Minister of Education allegedly hinted that university entrance exam would replace WASSCE. I found this rather unfortunate and misleading. The big question to ask is, what about those who won’t go to the University but needs SHS certificate to do other stuff?
READ: University Entrance Exams to replace WASSCE 2020?
We are all aware that Schools have been closed and exams have been suspended until further notice to curtail the spread of the pandemic coronavirus. The academic calendar is already distorted. Nobody knows when things would resume to normal. We are only hoping for God’s intervention.
READ: WASSCE 2020 Examination Tips For Success
But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have a contingency plan for education. Some of these plans include the online leaning platforms currently being worked on. In an interview with the minister, he was asked about the future plan in place for the WASSCE candidates to get them enrolled in the universities.
Napo, who was speaking in a one-on-one interview with Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM’s morning show ‘Kokrokoo’ said, he has asked the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) to collaborate with authorities of the Universities on how to admit the students without writing an exam.
“If students don’t write exams Ghana will not collapse . . . I have asked NCTE to liaise with the Vice-chancellors and registrars to strategise how they can admit the students without writing the exams. If we engage the universities they can give us so many options,” the Education Minister stated.
So clearly, it appears the minister has been quoted out of context. And also, there is certainly going to be a plan in place for those that won’t be going to the University.
That said, I think entrance exams should be seriously enforced even if WASSCE is written in order to admit the deserving candidates.
WASSCE should be conducted as a certificate for completion and used as a qualification for buying a university form but admission should be strictly bypassing a common entrance exams. Many are those with wonderful grades on paper but porous in mind.
WASSCE paper leakages and examination malpractices, certificate buying, results upgrades and other vices couple with the examination makes it unreliable these days.
Again, entrance exams would inspire the students to be more serious with their studies.
Source: Hon Jerry Akporhor
Educationist, Ag secretary of Educate Ghana Summit.
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