By Ragan M. Conteh
The Parliamentary Committee on Basic and Senior Secondary school has discovered that out of 800 schools that have entered into the West Africa Examination Council’s portal for WASSCE examination about 240 schools with enrolment of 35,000 students may be dropped out of school this year.
Updating MPs, the Chairman of the Council of Private Schools, Reverend Victor pleaded with the Parliamentary Committee on Basic Education and Senior Secondary school to help the 240 schools that are yet to successfully enter their students into the portal for the 2024 and 2025 WASSCE examination.
He said the 240 schools number are so many and so he pleads with the ministry to be flexible in its process in order to save huge amount of students from becoming dropouts especially the girls who are currently eager to sit this year’s examination.
He said WAEC and the Ministry of Education stated the process during the elections period in the country that is in June 2023.
He said the time was not adequately enough for the teachers to understand the portal well and that might have accounted for the delay on their side.
Notwithstanding, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Hon Jabbie, said there are some schools that don’t have code.
He said as a committee they are aware of the implications that it will have on schools if the current issue is not addressed amicably by the government and the Ministry of Education.
Hon Ibrahim Koroma from Kenema district said as MPs they would not be able to cover the entire educational sector in the country.
He said students were not around at the time and WAEC introduces the portal for the entry of students taking 2024 and 2025 WASSCE exams. He said the system was introduced during the political campaign period in 2023.
The Executive of Council of Private Schools raised concerns about the continuous increase on examination fees by WAEC.
Some told the committee that the delays on entering candidates’ data into the portal are due to some heads of school wanting to add more students in the system to enable them to sit the examination.
The Chairman of the Committee said the matter of the portal has been handled by the minister and the problem would be resolved soon.
The Paramount Chief and Member of Parliament from Kono district, Hon PC Paul N Samuel said, issue should be addressed when looking at the high number of affected school girls across the country.
The PC expressed determination to ensuring that the 240 schools are included in the system.
Other MPs spoke on the dangers of not allowing the 35,000 students from taking their exams.
In her statement, the Principal of the International High school, Mrs Hellen Kelly, said her school which has made a good name locally and international is also affected.
She appealed to the committee to advocate to the Ministry of Education to ensure that all their concerns are met and students are able to take this year’s examinations.
A female MP also pleaded with the committee to ensure that the Hands of Our Girls, an initiative of the First Lady Fatima Maada Bio, is not deterred.