GES shuts down Schools for BECE, WASSCE Candidates after WAEC’s Indefinite Suspension of WASSCE 2020

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has ordered for an immediate closure of Schools and calls for all WASSCE Candidates to go home.

The Ghana Education Service made this known in a statement issued by the Director-General Prof Kwesi Opoku Amankwa on Friday, March 20, 2020.

His directive came after the West African Examination Council (WAEC) sent an inter-office Memorandum to all member countries, calling for an indefinite suspension of the 2020 WASSCE due to the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

BECE Candidates

With regards to the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates, the Ghana Education Service said it is still in talks with WAEC on the fate of the Examination.

It further directs, that all Schools opened for classes for BECE Candidates should be closed by Monday, March 23, 2020.

The GES assured, that it shall alert the general public on the fate of the BECE 2020 after it’s meetings with WAEC.

WAEC Suspends WASSCE 2020

The West African Examination Council (WAEC) earlier, postponed the 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for School Candidates Indefinitely over Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

In an inter-office Memorandum released by the Chairman of the Examination Council to member countries on Friday, March 20, 2020, WAEC said it has suspended the Time Table for the 2020 WASSCE.

Teachers’ agitations

Earlier, some four teacher unions had asked the government to reconsider its decision to allow Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) to continue going to school despite the decision of the President to shut down all Schools due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic.

The Teacher Unions include the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Teachers and Education Workers Union (TEWU) and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers-Ghana (CCT-GH).

GNAT Calls for Protective gears

Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) said it shall engage the Ghana Education Service (GES) to discuss plans for the deployment of occupational health and safety kits to protect teachers against the novel coronavirus.

GNAT wants government to as soon as possible provide its members with Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) as detailed in section 118 of the labour law.

NAGRAT calls for a total shut down

The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) also pushed for the government to order all final year students in junior high and senior high schools and their teachers to go home.

President of NAGRAT, Angel Carbonu, however, said the decision to keep the final year students and teachers on campus is unacceptable.

ATAG supports government

All Teachers Alliance Ghana (ATAG) a pre-tertiary teacher union has stated emphatically, that it disagrees with the stance of some four teacher unions, who said the government should allow the final year WASSCE and BECE Candidates to go home due o the Coronavirus Pandemic.

In a statement issued by its general secretary, Albert Dadson, on March 17, 2020, the Union claimed the stance of the other four Unions on the CoronaVIRUS was misplaced.

Source: EducationGhana.net