Catholic Bishops condemn 2020 WASSCE ‘lawlessness’

The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) has condemned what it has described as “total disregard for the rule of law and the wanton destruction of state properties” that has characterised the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

The Catholilc Bishops in a statement released on Friday, August 7, 2020 said the show of disrespect for authority, “even going to the extent of insulting the President of the nation” is most unfortunate.

It also spoke against “the attacks on some heads of institutions, teachers, staff of the West African Examination Council (WAEC) and journalists, resulting in varied degrees of injuries suffered by the victims, noting that “these unfortunate incidents are very disheartening, to say the least.”

“We, therefore, call on all the major stakeholders in Education and the law enforcement agencies to bring the perpetrators of these acts to book in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Ghana Education Service as well as the laws of the land to serve as a deterrent to others.

“We equally call on all final year students writing the ongoing WASSCE to remain calm and to concentrate on their studies instead of looking for leaked examination questions to enable them to pass their exams. We would like to remind our dear students that there is no shortcut to success but only through hard work and discipline. We also urge them to desist from all forms of lawlessness and disregard for authority,” the statement signed by the President of the GCBC, Most Rev Philip Naameh, said.

Read the full statement below.

GHANA CATHOLIC BISHOPS’ CONFERENCE (GCBC) CONDEMNS THE RECENT
UNREST AND HOOLIGANISM IN SOME OF OUR SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS
The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has noticed with utter dismay the total disregard
for the rule of law and the wanton destruction of state properties that is taking place on the
campuses of some Senior High Schools across the country in reference to the ongoing West
African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
We condemn in no uncertain terms this show of disrespect for authority, even going to the
extent of insulting the President of the nation; the attacks on some heads of institutions,
teachers, staff of the West African Examination Council (WAEC) and journalists, resulting
in varied degrees of injuries suffered by the victims. These unfortunate incidents are very
disheartening, to say the least.
We, therefore, call on all the major stakeholders in Education and the law enforcement
agencies to bring the perpetrators of these acts to book in accordance with the rules and
regulations of the Ghana Education Service as well as the laws of the land to serve as a
deterrent to others.
We equally call on all final year students writing the ongoing WASSCE to remain calm
and to concentrate on their studies instead of looking for leaked examination questions to
enable them to pass their exams. We would like to remind our dear students that there is
no shortcut to success but only through hard work and discipline. We also urge them to
desist from all forms of lawlessness and disregard for authority.
We finally call on all Ghanaians, especially adults, to show good examples to the youth
instead of encouraging them to do things that endanger their lives and those of others. The
canker of violence that is gradually creeping into our society should be of great worry to
all people of peace and goodwill, and the earlier we nip this in the bud, the better it will be
for us.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 2020

Source: Ghana/otecfmghana.com