Make arrangements for pregnant, lactating candidates to write WASSCE – Adutwum
A Deputy Education Minister, Dr Osei Yaw Adutwum has tasked Heads of Senior High Schools to make special arrangements for pregnant and lactating candidates to sit for the 2020 WASSCE for School Candidates.
The Member of Parliament said in circumstances like this such candidates should be encouraged to sit for the examination without bar.
Dr Osei Yaw Adutwum comment follows a report by Kasapa FM indicating that two lactating students and 7 months old pregnant lady of St. Fidelis Senior High Technical School at Tease in Kwahu Afram Plains South District of the Eastern Region was struggling to properly integrate with their colleagues to prepare to write the final examination due to their awkward situations preventing them from living in the school.
Speaking in an interview on Nkawkaw based Agoo FM morning show Monday, July 20, 2020, monitored by Georgeweb.org, the Member of Parliament said “there is no law that restricts a lactating or pregnant student from writing exams. In such situations, it has to be dealt with in a case by case basis by the School Authorities”.
He continued that “Parents with wards in such situations should immediately see the school authorities to discuss with them so that special arrangements are made with WAEC to enable them to write the exams without bars”.
Dr Adutwum speaking to host Omansomfo Kwabena Asante advised the prospective candidates to desist from examination malpractices that could lead to cancellation of the entire or some subject papers.
Collectively, 375,737 candidates from 976 Senior High Schools will be writing the examination at 796 centres throughout the country. Out of the figure, about 188,163 represent females, while the remaining 187,573 are males.
As part of efforts to curb and slow the spread of the locally transmitted coronavirus, he reminded the first batch of the Free Senior High School (free SHS) beneficiaries to strictly adhere to the COVID-19 preventive protocols before, during, and after the exams.
Source: Georgeweb.org
