Director of Communications at State House, Myk Berewa, has issued a warning against politicizing the withholding of thousands of 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results. He made the remarks amid public reactions to reports that the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) had withheld the results of thousands of candidates and flagged 169 schools over alleged examination malpractice. Berewa emphasized the need for stakeholders to focus on finding solutions to examination malpractice rather than scoring political points.
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) had taken the decision to withhold the results of thousands of candidates due to allegations of examination malpractice, including collusion, possession of mobile phones, and the use of unauthorized materials. A total of 169 schools were flagged in connection with the malpractices. This development has sparked a national conversation on the need to address examination malpractice and improve the integrity of public examinations.
Myk Berewa acknowledged the need to hold pupils and school authorities accountable for examination malpractice. However, he maintained that the ongoing debate should not overlook the investments made by President Julius Maada Bio’s administration in the education sector through the Free Quality School Education (FQSE) programme. The programme aims to improve access to quality education for all Sierra Leonean children.
Berewa argued that using the withheld results to score political points would not benefit the country. Instead, he stressed that an honest national conversation should recognize the government’s investments while addressing the challenges affecting the education system. He called on politicians, commentators, and other stakeholders to move beyond criticism and propose practical solutions to curb examination malpractice.
The issue of examination malpractice has sparked concerns about the credibility of the education system in Sierra Leone. Stakeholders have been urged to work together to find solutions to the problem. The government has been praised for its efforts to improve the education sector, but more needs to be done to address the challenges facing the system.
Myk Berewa’s warning comes at a time when the nation is grappling with the challenges of examination malpractice. The issue has sparked a national conversation on the need for stakeholders to work together to find solutions. The government, schools, and parents have been urged to collaborate to address the problem and improve the integrity of public examinations.
The Sierra Leonean government has been investing in the education sector through the Free Quality School Education (FQSE) programme. The programme has improved access to quality education for all Sierra Leonean children. However, more needs to be done to address the challenges facing the education system, including examination malpractice.
Key points
- Myk Berewa warns against using withheld WASSCE results for political point-scoring.
- The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) withheld the results of thousands of candidates due to allegations of examination malpractice.
- The Sierra Leonean government has been investing in the education sector through the Free Quality School Education (FQSE) programme.
