Child psychologist, Dr. Peace Tetteh has said the cancellation of examination papers of Junior high School (JHS) students will affect their mental health.
Her comments follow the revelation by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) that the scripts of 22,270 candidates in certain subjects are under scrutiny for reported cases of mass cheating.
Many candidates are sitting on tenterhooks not knowing their fate after the results were released.
Reacting to this on Adom FM’s morning show, Dwaso Nsem, Friday, Dr. Tetteh raised questions about the importance of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and proposed an alternative approach.
She suggested that continuous assessment through ongoing cumulative records might be a more effective means of evaluating students’ progress.
Dr. Tetteh urged parents to support wards who will be victims of examination malpractice.
“Parents should take it easy on their kids and support them, avoiding insults as they may already be traumatised. Even the BECE is not necessary; continuous assessment through ongoing cumulative records would be more effective,” Dr. Tetteh advised.
Expressing concerns about the challenges within the educational system, Dr. Tetteh called for a shift from addressing symptoms to tackling core issues.
She urged WAEC to investigate and address the root problems rather than merely addressing the symptoms.
“The problem has come already. WAEC should investigate and address the core problem rather than addressing the symptoms. Parents should encourage the kids as every ward has their own gift. Schools have challenges; it’s not a perfect situation. Parents should make alternative plans for the child even after failing exams,” she stressed.