WAEC breaks silence on using 2 marking schemes for BECE scripts
The non-profit-making organization (WAEC) following claim the marking scheme used to mark the BECE answer papers of private school students are different from that of government school students has said the allegation is baseless.
In a statement sighted by AcademicWeek, the management of the West African Examinations Council said only one draft marking scheme is developed for each Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) subject.
“The draft marking schemes are finalized at the National preliminary coordination meeting which is attended by Chief Examiners and Zonal Team Leaders for each of the BECE subjects,” the not-for-money-making organization stated.
The final marking schemes (one for each subject) the West African Examinations Council said are used to mark dummy scripts of BECE for School and Private candidates to ensure consistency in the award of marks for the examination.
“Neither names of schools nor school status (private/public) are indicated on the envelopes containing the scripts of candidates. Scripts are swapped across the 16 regions of the country to ensure that examiners in various regions do not mark scripts of candidates for their respective regions,” WAEC noted.
Assuring members of the public particularly BECE students its marking processes are fair and reflect the performance of candidates, the Examinations Council also said It adopts internationally accepted procedures in its operations.
The West African Examinations Council comment comes after a politician, Joseph Yamin said the organization tactically mark down the Basic Education Certificate Examination papers of private school students in other for them to fail.
In an interview with Ultimate FM, he said “Students at the private schools during the last academic term are leaving because of Free SHS. As of now, they have two marking schemes, one for private schools and for public schools.”
Citing discrimination against private school students who sit for the national examination, the politician has called on the Council to ensure a free and fair marking of the BECE scripts and do away with the secret marking schemes.
Mr Yamin in the discussion with the Kumasi-based radio station said the clandestine BECE marking scheme set out by the key stakeholders in the education sector has been endorsed by the government amid Free Senior High School.
