The Executive Director of Africa Education Watch, Kofi Asare has called for a comprehensive tackling of examination malpractice.
His comment comes after the Upper East Security Coordinating Council shut down the Bolgatanga Technical Institute and Bawku Technical Institute on Tuesday, August 2.
The decision was arrived at after students of both institutions vandalized school property after their plan to engage in examination malpractices was foiled by security officials.
While commending the Minister of Education for involving the National Intelligence Bureau in this year’s examination, Kofi Asare urged the Ghana Education Service to dismiss teachers who involve themselves in such practices to deter others.
“Last year, the GES dismissed 11 teachers over exams malpractices, and I think that the GES should do more of that. If the GES does outright dismissals more and stops suspending teachers because suspensions don’t work, it demotivates teachers from engaging in such acts. So we want to see more dismissals of teachers who are found culpable.”
Mr. Kofi Asare also urged the Ghana Police to expedite investigations into examination malpractice cases brought before it.
“Upon all the petitions that African Education Watch, GES and WAEC submitted to the Ghana Police Service, not a single prosecution has been made since last year’s WASSCE. So there seems to be this inertia on the part of the police to prosecute persons participating in exams malpractices. So what needs to be done is that, the police must expedite action on such cases that are brought before it.”
The Upper East Regional Security Council on Tuesday shut down the school following a riot by the students that resulted in the destruction of school property and vehicles of teachers.
The students were demanding to see their teachers and colleagues, who had been picked up by officers from the National Intelligence Bureau for engaging in examination malpractices.
The students while demanding to see the arrested persons vandalized school properties including seven vehicles.