Owula Mangortey, a social and political commentator, has said it is about time the monopoly of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) was broken to make way for effective competition.
WAEC has been responsible for the conduct of most national and international examinations at pre-tertiary level in Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
However, in recent times, its examinations have been hit by allegations of malpractice, forcing WAEC to reschedule two papers in the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
“A new date for the scheduled papers will be communicated in due course,” George Ohene-Mantey, the head of WAEC’s test administration division, said at a press conference in Accra on Wednesday.
Bring in competition
Touching on the development, Mangortey declared that “WAEC should up its game” because the allegations of malpractices and leaks have been one too many.
“I think that we should have competition in the testing system. If there are any other testing regimes we can import into this country we should,” said Mangortey, speaking on The Asaase Breakfast Show on Friday (17 September 2021).
“I would go for an introduction of competition. If you don’t have competitors you’ll be settling for the better when you’re supposed to be the best,” he said.
Mangortey added: “WAEC is an over-pampered child. We’ve kept faith with WAEC over the years and I think it’s about time we made WAEC know that there are alternatives.”
The West African Examinations Council was founded in 1951.
For his part, Charles Bissue, the Western Regional secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), said: “WAEC should be given the opportunity to improve on what it’s doing. Every institution should evolve.
“[This leak is] one too many, but they must be given the chance to improve. I believe the invigilators must also be well paid. WAEC must wake up, because the malpractices are not good enough.”
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