By MATHIAS TULASI
Good afternoon fellow Ghanaians.
Education we can say is the passport to the future,this is because tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.
The journey of Basic Education we all know lasts for 11 years (Age 4-15) Kindergarten (2 years), Primary School (2 modules of 3 years) and Junior High school (3 years) which climax it all. It is not an easy journey because we are all aware what it entails. This is the very reason why we must not allow this smooth journey that began some years back to be disrupted just like that.
Parents are made to understand that,an investment in knowledge pays the best interest.
It is against this background, l found it very sad and highly unfortunate to have heard that,over two hundred eligible candidates for this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), from two communities in the Bunkpurugu District of the Northern Region, could not take part in the BECE paper written in the early hours of Monday.
So Ghana at the age of 60 is it not therefore worrying such reports will be emanating from some parts of our country? l think it is highly disgraceful and worrisome.
This ugly happening based on the account of the Assemblyman for Kambatiak, Hon Duut James Yoogrin pointed to the fact that, it was due to the change in exams centre.
Stating that the new centre was too far from the communities that the candidates hailed from.
The questions a lot of Ghanaians are asking now concerning the issue are;when was the notice concerning the change of centre made known to the candidates? Were the Headmasters and Circuit Supervisors, PTA, Opinions Leaders, Parents, Chiefs all aware of this earlier? If yes what roles did they played in order to make transport arrangement to take the candidates to the new centre? Because per the account of the Assemblyman the previous examination centre was closer to them than where they have now been assigned.
It is also a fact that,this may not be the only community that might have been faced with such a challenge but perhaps the others had their ways out amicably.
But then listening to other stakeholders it became clearer that,this ugly incident happened due to misunderstanding between the Chief and the Regional Education authorities over location of examination centres. So one will ask why should these important stakeholders act in this manner that had brought discomfort to the innocent candidates?
This issue when not addressed will amount to human right violation
of the candidates per the laws of our state because they must not be punished for no wrong done.
The 11-years journey of school life of 70 from Kanbatiak Junior High School, Guanging 51, Gbingbamong 79 and 18 Yenupinii who could not traveled to Gbankoni primary school center to write the exams must not be disrupted at all.lt is in light of this they must be highly considered by WAEC.
The chief of Kanbatiak, largest community in the area,complained about troubles candidates in the area go through every year to write the exams and pleaded for a closer center. This the chief did well by playing his role as a citizen and not a spectator by showing concern for his people.
The regional education directorate did not to heed to the plea of the chief perhaps due to some challenges but then communication is key in everything. So communication gap perhaps created this challenge.
As a country we must all learn a lesson from this unfortunate happening to avoid further happenings in future.
I am therefore calling on other civil society organizations in the country to join in pleading with WEAC to consider the candidates to enable them also have the opportunity to write the paper they couldn’t not write not the same paper though and l believe WAEC is highly capable to handle this issue amicably.
We need peace in this country in order to see it at its expected end one day and in this recent times issue of the country’s security has not been the best so we wouldn’t want parents to go and attack the regional education directorate out of anger because the human mind is very complex.
So it is our sacred duty as a country to make sure this issue is amicably resolved to so that those affected parents will be at peace.
The chief and the regional directorate must iron out their differences and forge ahead because they are key stakeholders that must not be seen having misunderstanding.
It is my fervent prayer that,the good Lord guides the candidates to complete their exams on Friday peaceful.
God bless our homeland Ghana!
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