MONROVIA, LIBERIA – Many students, especially those from the 12th grade at Aware International School System-Liberia, located on the GSA Road, may not be able to sit for this year’s West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) due to a troubling administrative oversight. With the test set to begin next week, some students from Aware School have not received their accreditation numbers from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC-Liberia) office because the school failed to submit the students’ names on time, despite the students having paid to sit for the exam.
Efforts to resolve the issue have been met with frustration. When the school was contacted using the official number listed on its website, a man believed to be of Indian descent answered the phone. However, when confronted with the allegations, he declined to comment and promised to call back, but no follow-up communication was received by press time.
The situation has left many parents and students anxious and uncertain about their academic future. Some parents of affected students are now threatening to prevent other students from the Aware School System from sitting the test if their children’s names are not included. This development has added to the tension surrounding the upcoming examination.
In a further troubling development, the school administration has reportedly shut down the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) WhatsApp group chat room after parents raised the issue and shared information regarding the situation. This move has only served to escalate tensions and deepen the sense of frustration among parents seeking answers.
The lack of transparency and accountability in this matter is deeply concerning. It is imperative that the school administration and relevant authorities urgently address this issue to ensure that all affected students are able to sit for the WASSCE as scheduled. The education and future of these students should not be jeopardized due to administrative negligence.
Meanwhile, when Smart News Liberia contacted the school administration, Mr. Gopinadhan Pillai, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the school, confirmed the allegations. He stated that the issue involving three students had been communicated to the WASSCE-Liberia office. Pillai added that WASSCE-Liberia is currently addressing the matter and assured that the affected students will be able to write the exam.
Regarding the shutdown of the PTA WhatsApp group due to threats from parents, Pillai declined to comment, stating that he has no involvement in the matter. He emphasized that the WhatsApp group is managed by the PTA and they are responsible for addressing any issues related to it. Credit: Charles Yates, a Liberian journalist
