EDUCATION

MCE Petitions President Akuffo- Addo
The Municipal Chief Executive of the Yendi Municipal Assembly in the Northern Region, Alhaji Abubakari H. Yussif, has petitioned President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo to intervene and ensure that the President’s annual awards to students who excelled in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) is given to only deserving students in the country.

Date Created : 3/14/2018 5:53:23 AM : Story Author :

He stated that award challenges students to put in extra effort and also promotes competition among the final-year students to encourage them work harder, hoping to be among the best for possible selection.

The MCE cited an example of one students that was penciled for the award, but did not deserve it as she secured relatively lower scores in the exams than other candidates.

Alhaji Yussif insisted that the award should instead, be given to a girl from his municipality, who he said had obtained seven ones in the BECE, instead of the one nominated by the region who had five ones

He further said, challenge with the award has to do with the process in which selected candidates are taken through. Using the selection criteria such as turn out/appearance, fluency in reading, comprehension/spelling, academic performance, co-curricula activities, community participation and conduct/good moral behaviour of the candidate definitely can trigger accusations and counter - accusations.

Adding that, since the award is tied to the BECE, widening the procedures to include areas that are subjective will surely deny the rightful hardworking students who learnt hard to merit it. I think that the winners should be those who excelled in the BECE and nothing more.

He further said WAEC is in a better position to produce the winners, considering its track record of organising the Excellence Award ceremony for West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and due to that, it will end the annual controversies that crop up when the winners are announced .

He therefore commended President Akufo-Addo for including students with special needs who excelled in the examination adding it will also boost the morale of students in that category to put in extra effort in their studies.