The Minister of Basic Senior and Secondary Education (MBSSE) has said despite government’s efforts to curb public examinations malpractice, it remains a systematic organised crime across the country. “It’s a big shame that two years down the line together with the Anti-Corruption Commission and WAEC, government is still battling to reduce exams malpractice to its lowest ebb; and the MBSSE and partners will not relent.” Minister Sengeh in his opening statement catalogued the many ways government, the ACC and the West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC) in Sierra Leone have taken to curb exams malpractice, and said the ACC scorpion squad has accused school authorities, the WAEC script custody management, and parents of being responsible for the illegal act.
He pleaded with the public and parents to refrain from condoning school authorities who he said are involved in an organized system of cheating in examinations, adding that they will face the full force of the ACC if/when caught. In his statement, ACC Commissioner, Francis Ben Kaifala did not mince his words on what would happen to those caught in exams malpractice, assuring that the ACC stands firmly behind the MBSSE and WAEC to address the challenge he said is being championed by people in high office.
He informed media practitioners that in the past two years of the Bio government much has been achieved to reduce the illegal act, but noted that certain operatives within the education system are recalcitrant to change as they make huge illegal profits from parents and guardians. Commissioner Kaifala disclosed that several schools across the country have been caught by the scorpion in exams malpractice, and that desperate parents and guardians wanting to ensure that their children make it into tertiary institutions have landed one Principal Anthony Sillah of the Royal Secondary School at Lumley in the ACC net.
Principal Sillah in a recorded conversation asked teachers of the said school to request Le1.5 million from WASSCE pupils for answer materials from unknown sources. He said at examination centres where overcrowding was reported, the ACC scorpion squad captured on record that pupils paid Le50,000 each to get access to their android phones and other means to get answers to their question papers. “The buck stops on the doorstep of WAEC. Successive managements have tried, but management has to take firm control over the script custody management within the council,” Ben Kaifala admonished.
Speaking on ‘campism’ and late night classes for both public and private pupils attempting junior and senior exams, Dr. Sengeh said it is illegal to conduct them, adding that since it is difficult for government to knock on the door of each citizen and school, it would take a collective effort between government and the public to adequately inform the MBSSE of such activities during examination period.
By Ade Campbell