4 Reasons Akufo-Addo wants 14 final year students to be allowed to write

YEN.com.gh published a series of happenings in select few secondary schools in the country who were making headlines for certain acts of indiscipline in the ongoing West African Secondary School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE).

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Some students were captured in a video hurling insults at the president of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, while others rioted in their schools because of excessive social distancing and others complained about how difficult their exams have been.

The West African Examination (WAEC) and Ghana Education Service (GES), in a bid to exercise authority and to ensure that the situation is not repeated, barred 14 students from partaking in the rest of the exams.

Not only were they barred, but they were also dismissed from their school.

READ ALSO: Ndewura Jakpa SHS: Students destroy school properties over 1.5m social distancing

President Akufo-Addo, who on the other hand felt the punishment to bar these 14 students from writing the exams were too harsh, asked the Education Minister to reconsider the decision and allow the students to write.

YEN.com.gh believes these four reasons informed the President's decision to plead on behalf of the students:

1. Punishment appears to exceed the crimes

Even though the acts by the students is totally unacceptable, it seems the decision by WAEC exceeds their crimes.

The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) called for the students to be ‘de-boardinised’ and not banned from writing the exams; a decision it contends may end up creating monsters for society.

Adding its voice, Child Rights International also described the decision as harsh and made appeals for a review.

2. First-time offenders

These students probably mostly acted on their youthful exuberance and their excitement of finishing secondary education.

They have obviously not been sighted in any such act to be punished by their schools as well as the Ghana Education Service.

Even President Akufo-Addo said everyone deserves a second chance.

3. The first time such an incident has warranted such a punishment from GES

This is obviously the first time the Ghana Education Service has recorded such an incident during the WASSCE exams, thus the GES would allow the students to take the examinations as scheduled.

4. Pleas from the parent(s) and other stakeholders

In the case of the student from Sekondi College in the Western Region who insulted President Akufo-Addo, his parents have apologised on his behalf for doing such an unpardonable thing.

Their plea and that of other parents whose wards have been barred from the exams might have informed the president's decision.

READ ALSO: Students who attack teachers and destroy school properties should be arrested - GNAT

YEN.com.gh earlier reported that the 14 students who were engaged in various indiscipline acts during WAEC’s Integrated Science paper have been dismissed from their schools.

They have also been barred from writing the examination, which is expected to end soon.

In a press release sighted by YEN.com.gh issued by the Ghana Education Service (GES), these 14 students were dismissed for indiscipline in the ongoing WASSCE.

READ ALSO: WASSCE 2020: 14 students sacked over acts of indiscipline; barred from writing

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Source: YEN.com.gh