The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) says it has put in place comprehensive measures to ensure that no candidate is disadvantaged during the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), despite security concerns in some parts of the country.
Head of Public Affairs at WAEC, John Kapi, said the council has adopted proactive strategies to support students in conflict-prone areas as well as candidates living with disabilities.
According to him, WAEC is working closely with regional authorities to guarantee the safe movement of candidates in troubled areas such as Bawku.
He explained that the arrangements include providing transportation for students to and from examination centres, while maintaining constant coordination with local authorities to ensure a safe and conducive environment for the conduct of the exams.
Mr. Kapi also highlighted what he described as a major improvement in the council’s support system for candidates with special needs.
He noted that although WAEC has traditionally focused on assisting visually and hearing-impaired candidates through Braille materials and additional time, the council has now expanded its support to cater for a broader range of disabilities.
The new interventions include providing large-print examination papers for candidates who have difficulty reading standard font sizes.
Candidates with conditions such as cerebral palsy or mobility challenges, who may be unable to write physically, are also being assisted through supervised oral responses, where questions are read aloud and answers are given verbally.
“We provide them extra time to complete their work so they can read comfortably and answer effectively,” Mr. Kapi stated.
He added that these special arrangements are made upon requests submitted by educational institutions on behalf of affected candidates.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
