Visually impaired blame poor results on WAEC

Low vision students in the Volta Region have blamed their poor performance in the Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE) on neglect by the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) in the Region.

Mr Eric Ofori, National Coordinator, New Horizon Foundation for the Blind, said over the years they had received complaints about how WAEC was deserting students with low vision in BECEs against directives from the Ghana Education Service (GES).

He alleged that the WAEC had refused to provide special examination materials and magnifying glasses to students with low vision, for which reason many of them performed poorly. 
 
Mr Ofori said there were students who did not get placement into any Senior High Schools this year not because they were not “smart enough” but because they had low vision.

He alleged that one Miss Beauty Sakyi, 16, a former student of Atiatime E.P. Junior High School (JHS) in the Ho Municipality, who has low vision was not placed in any SHS, because she did not perform well in the BECE due to lack of magnifying glasses.

Mr Ofori said the situation was compelling a good number of students with low vision to drop out of school and appealed to stakeholders to help address the challenge.

Meanwhile, WAEC officials in Ho have declined to comment on the issue.

Source: GNA