By: Thaimu Bai Sesay
In a bid to uphold its commitment to free quality education, the Government of Sierra Leone has announced plans to pay for eligible school-going pupils to sit for the private West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in November 2024. The decision comes after about 248 schools, accounting for over 10,000 candidates, were left out of the 2024 WASSCE due to negligence by school authorities.
The Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) acknowledged the lapse and expressed concern over the failure of several school leaders to register their candidates or seek assistance from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) during technical difficulties. The Ministry described this oversight as an “unpardonable act” and emphasized its commitment to ensuring no student is penalized due to the failure of their school principals.
To address the issue, the government plans to cover the exam fees for regular school-going children who sat for and passed the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) between 2020 and 2021, making them eligible for the WASSCE. School authorities who believe they have a legitimate case for their candidates are required to submit verifiable documents, including updated school registers, BECE results, birth certificates, school identification numbers, and approval letters, to the Office of the Deputy Chief Education Officer by June 10, 2024.
The Ministry is also requesting lists of candidates whose Continuous Assessment Scores (CASS) were not uploaded for the May/June 2024 WASSCE. This will help determine the number of candidates the government will support for the November exam.
The MBSSE reiterated its dedication to maintaining discipline in exam management and warned that schools failing to comply with the directives would bear the costs for their candidates. The Ministry assured that it would ensure every affected student sits for the private WASSCE, with defaulting schools held accountable for the expenses.
This move is part of the government’s ongoing efforts to provide equitable and inclusive educational opportunities for all Sierra Leonean children, reinforcing its unwavering commitment to alleviating the financial burden on parents and guardians.
