WASSCE candidates bemoan effect of strike on their performance

Some final year Senior High School (SHS) students in the Northern Region have bemoaned the enormous impact the ongoing teachers' strike will have on their West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) performance.

Some students of the Kalpohin SHS and Vittin SHS in the Sagnarigu Municipality and Tamale Metropolis, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) about the situation in Tamale, expressed worry over inability to tackle some topics in the syllabus due to the double track system and COVID-19 effects adding the teachers' strike was another blow to them.

Nelson Bagrine, a final year science student of the Kalpohin SHS, said his batch was already lagging academically because they stayed home close to a year during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said science students at the school were yet to complete practical aspects of the syllabus, which formed a key part of the WASSCE, adding, students could not do so without teachers.

He appealed to striking teacher unions to consider WASSCE candidates and said some teachers were willing to teach but scared of the consequences of defying orders of their mother unions.

Adam Ibrahim, a final year business student of the Kalpohin SHS, said it was quite difficult doing private studies during school hours because most of the topics required guidance from teachers for clarity and comprehension.

Jamaldenn Abdul Nasir, a final year Home Economics student of Vittin SHS, lamented the fate of the academic future of the 2022 batch of WASSCE students, saying that there was no serious teaching during their first year due to the double track system.

He appealed to the government to do the needful for teachers to return to the classroom adding "From what our seniors told us, WASSCE is not easy. If teachers do not teach us to pass, how can we be future leaders?"

Abdul-Karim Jemila, a final year Home Economics student of Vittin SHS, said "some of the topics have not been treated. So, we plead with the government to do what is necessary for our teachers to come back to guide us."

Mr Amidu Sualiu, Assistant Headmaster, Administration at Vittin SHS told the GNA that the mock examination for final year students was cancelled because teachers were not available.

He said although Management was still at post to regulate students' movements, it was difficult to manage them, and in view of that some boarders had left campus.

Even though the WASSCE was scheduled to begin next month, GNA's visit to these SHS showed empty classrooms with few students in the dormitories while the majority had left for home.

Meanwhile, Junior High Schools (JHS) visited by the GNA including Kalpohin Anglican JHS, Lamashegu L/A JHS and Kaladan SDA JHS were deserted.

Teachers across the country began a nationwide strike on July 05 to demand the payment of the Cost-of-Living Allowance.