Until recently, all the examinations conducted in Liberia by The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) were national examinations, despite the introduction of the Council’s international examination, the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), which was adopted by The Gambia in 1998, Nigeria in 1999, Sierra Leone in 2000 and Ghana in 2006.

In 2013, Liberia presented her first set of candidates from selected schools to sit WASSCE, which was to be conducted in the country for three years on pilot basis from 2013-2015. The health crisis experienced by Liberia within the time-frame slightly altered the schedule for the country’s full migration to WASSCE, as the examination could not be conducted for candidates in the country in 2015 to end the pilot period.

The period was consequently extended to end in 2017. For the duration of the pilot arrangement, WASSCE was conducted alongside the existing local equivalent, the Liberia Senior High School Certificate Examination (LSHSCE). In 2018, LSHSCE was phased out and all senior high schools accredited by the Ministry of Education in Liberia were mandated to register their candidates for WASSCE, which was administered from April 3 to 20, 2018.

As in other member countries, WAEC has continued to intensify efforts to maintain hitch-free conduct of its international WASSCE and other national examinations in Liberia. But also as in the other member countries there is a rising wave of examination malpractice in Liberia due to some factors that are traceable to certain stakeholders in education. The Council however, engages the right caliber of upright men and women in the country to render various services during the conduct of examinations. Such examination functionaries include centre supervisors, proctors and invigilators, among others.

On the last day of WASSCE for School Candidates, 2018 in Liberia, when Geography paper 3 was in progress at Jennes Preparatory School centre in New Georgia Estate where the candidates of St. Michael’s Catholic High School sat the examination, a diligent invigilator stood firm against malpractice and seized various exhibits from the candidates including mobile phones.

The invigilator, Mrs. Sia Borbor C. Christogonus, was violently attacked by the irate candidates who were desperate to retrieve or destroy the exhibits. As a result of the injury and trauma of the physical attack, she was on admission at the ELWA Hospital, Monrovia for some days. WAEC Liberia paid close attention to Mrs. Christogonus while in hospital and settled her medical bills when she was discharged.

The relevant committee of Council has since sanctioned appropriately the culpable candidates and their school, in accordance with the rules and regulations guiding the conduct of the examination. A report on the incident came up at a meeting of the Council’s International Final Awards and Examiners’ Appointments Committee held in Monrovia, Liberia recently, and the Committee invited Mrs. Christogonus to the venue.

The Chairman of Council, Mr. Baboucarr Bouy, on behalf of Council, profoundly apologised to Mrs. Christogonus for the indecent assault by candidates, commended her forthright stance against examination malpractice and appreciated her for assisting the Government and WAEC to build a decent future for the teeming youth of Liberia.