By Mabinty M. Kamara
The Ministry of Basic and Senior School Education and the West Africa Examinations Council have agreed new dates for the three public examinations, both have confirmed to Politico.
The minister, Dr Moinina Sengeh says the National Primary School Examination (NPSE) will take place 3 August and while the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) will start on the 14 September which will last for between and 10 days including weekends.
The West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) is slated for 11 August – 7 September.
The Minister said that all necessary plans to make the examinations possible were now in place and that they were very well prepared for their commencement.
“The schools and examinations centres are ready, the ministry officials are ready for supervising and monitoring the examinations and even the WAEC is ready to come around with their materials available and supervise the examination in a credible way and even post-exam. As for now, plans are well in place,” he told Politico.
As part of preparations for the exams, the Minister said examination centres had been extended across the country including in Falaba, a new district that never had a centre, to allow the pupils to take the examination in a favourable environment.
He added that learning materials including books were provided to pupils across the country and that teacher training and readiness had been enhanced for them to have teaching guides.
“In places like Falaba for example, where there were not exam centres before where pupils had to travel to other communities to take exams, we have extended exams centres there,” he said, adding that they also engaged stakeholders and the communities to clamp down on examinations malpractice.
The Minister disclosed that they were working with World Food Programme (WFP) to have examination materials printed in Sierra Leone by next year’s examinations date.
Schools and other learning institutions were closed in 31 March when the country confirmed its first case of the Covid-19 to stem the spread of the virus. But those writing the three public exams were asked to return to class on 1 July.
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