In recent times, cheating in public exams by students and exam authorities, especially in the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE), has been rampant leading to the decline in the country’s educational system, with universities put in the precarious position of producing half-baked and unemployable graduates. To curb this trend during this year’s examinations, the Communications Specialist in the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE), Foday Ibrahim Sheriff, has said any student caught cheating in this year’s exams would be handed over to the Anti-Corruption Commission for onward investigations.
He said the person’s name would not only be published alongside past and other public exams cheats, they would also be deprived of other facilities from the Ministry of Education. He said the ministry is prepared for the scheduled exams, as all necessary materials are presently in country. Sheriff said persistent cheating in public exams has derailed student performance from Sierra Leone when compared to students from the sub region.
The Communications Specialist added that they are determined to curb the menace this time around by working effectively with examination supervisors and invigilators across the country. Government Rokel Secondary School student and WASSCE candidate, Usifu Kamara, promised to work hard to gain university admission instead of cheating. MJB/13/08/2020
By Mohamed J. Bah