All is set for the upcoming West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for Ghanaian candidates this year, and the West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC) says it would be different this time round

The exam is slated for August 3 to September 5, 2020.

Head of Public Affairs of WAEC, Agnes Teye Cudjoe to ABC News this year’s examination will be very different from previous ones because they will ensure all the COVID-19 protocols are strictly observed.

“We’ll ensure that there are spaces between all the tables, ensure all candidates wash and sanitize their hands properly and wear their face masks,” she stated.

She also said this time round, the WASSCE would be held within five weeks instead of the usual seven weeks, explaining that the reduced time period is part of precautionary measures to ensure everyone is safe during the examination.
On Sunday, May 31, 2020, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in a televised address, announced that final year students in all educational institutions in Ghana, starting from basic to tertiary could go back to school to prepare and write their exit examinations.

This move by the President has been questioned by many as more senior high schools continue to record COVID-19 cases.

The main teacher unions and the Parent-Teacher Association Council have called for schools to be re-closed and the WASSCE and BECE suspended. Indeed, Nigeria has opted out of the WASSCE for the safety of their students and teachers.

But in Ghana, government insists on going ahead with the exams and the WAEC is feverishly preparing for it.