By Ragan M Conteh

It’s no longer a secret that a good number of students preparing to sit the West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE).

They have been held up by the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC), and the Ministry of Basic and Secondary School Education.

This follows news of their disqualification from taking this year’s WASSCE.

The sitting students claim their heads of school have failed to upload their CASS on the public exam system.

In the early hours of today, Opposition Chief Whip, Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara visited Liberty online TV where he robustly stated that whether the affected students are 150,000 or 30,000 that should not be the bone of contention but rather asking if those affected students are not Sierra Leoneans should be the focus.

Asking also why these Sierra Leoneans should be deprived from taking the forthcoming WASSCE must be the key question.

Also, Opposition Chief Whip unavoidably interrogated the government based on their attempt to disqualify the students that have been preparing for the exams.

“Why is it that private schools are not giving the opportunity to pay for their students?

“What is the benefit WAEC or the ministry will get if those candidates are not opportune to sit the exams?

“Is it that government does not have the usual resources to pay for the students?”

Again, he stated that 30% CASS should not be a priority for candidates to determine their fate as there is proclivity for them to pass the exams with flying colors without CASS.

He maintained that those students should be allowed to take their public exams as it’s part of their fundamental human rights.

He alleged that the ministry together with WAEC did not allocate ample time to educate heads of school on the CASS issue as that is one of the prevailing factors that have affected most of the schools.

He therefore, continues to call on the President to put premium on the issue.

He claimed that institutions that are responsible to help the president in his efforts to promote education in the country are the very “bad blood” that are clandestinely undermining the process.