Seven Labone SHS Students Barred from WASSCE Exam Due to Lateness

Seven students from Labone Senior High School were denied entry to the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) on Monday, August 26, 2024, due to arriving late for the exam. This marked the second instance of lateness for these students during the examination period.

The incident came to light during a visit by the Deputy Minister of Education, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, who was touring the school to monitor the examination’s progress and offer encouragement to the candidates.

Labone SHS Headmistress, Rejoice Akua Acorlor, expressed concern over the repeated lateness, emphasizing that the students had been thoroughly briefed on the examination rules, including the importance of punctuality. She highlighted that students were expected to arrive at the examination hall 30 minutes before the start of the paper, with the school advising them to arrive an hour in advance to ensure a smooth start.

Despite these warnings, the seven students arrived 1 hour and 20 minutes late for the Social Studies paper, leaving the school authorities with no choice but to enforce the rules set by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC). Headmistress Acorlor expressed her disappointment, noting that while she understood the gravity of the situation as a mother figure to the students, it was imperative to uphold the examination rules.

When questioned about the situation, Deputy Minister Rev. Ntim Fordjour acknowledged the need to investigate the specific circumstances but stressed that examination rules must be adhered to by all stakeholders. He assured that a review of the incident would be conducted to ensure fairness while maintaining the integrity of the examination process.