405 candidates of Ofoase Kokoben Senior High School in the Bekwai Municipality of the Ashanti Region are facing significant challenges commuting to their West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) centre at Bekwai SDA SHS.
The candidates are being transported from Ofoase to Bekwai in two 60-seater buses, which are overloaded due to the high number of students.
Some candidates are forced to sit on laps while others struggle to stand inside the buses, posing a risk to their safety.
The situation is further compounded by the fact that the candidates have to depart from school at early hours, leaving some without the opportunity to have breakfast before their exams. This has taken a psychological toll on the students, affecting their performance in the ongoing exams.
The candidates have appealed to the authorities to either allow them to write the rest of the exams in their school or provide additional buses to cater for their numbers.
The Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) representative, Pastor Peter Amoah, has expressed disappointment in the school authorities for putting the students’ lives at risk.
He has appealed to the Ministry of Education to intervene and provide a solution to this problem.
Meanwhile, the Municipal Chief Executive of Bekwai, Salifu Issaka, has acknowledged the challenges faced by the candidates and assured that his outfit would do everything possible to address the situation.
He is working with the Ghana Education Service to resolve the impasse between the students and the headmistress, which has been causing insecurity in the school.
The school’s examination centre was changed from Ofoase Kokoben SHS to Bekwai SDA SHS without prior notification to the students, leading to the transportation challenges.
