Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang’s comment on 2020 WASSCE Results unacceptable of a Stateswoman 

I have come across a video of Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang, in an interview on TV XYZ indicating that the results of the 2020 WASSCE were without merits. This she indicated in response to a question being asked her concerning the Free SHS Policy.

I found the comment very unfortunate from a well-respected Stateswoman. I understand that, this comment is coloured with some form of political affiliations, however, I find it displeasing that, the political scope of our country has grown badly to the extent that, sensitive discussions such as the progress of a flagship social intervention programme like Free SHS could be politicized badly to create an dint on the image of the country.

One would expect that, a Stateswoman who has served in very influential capacity in this country such as Vice Chancellor of a prestigious university like the University of Cape Coast (doubling as the first female vice Chancellor of a public university in Ghana) and also serving as Education Minister of the Republic and finally rising to be a Running Mate of a Presidential Candidate in the just ended 2020 General Elections, would not be found sacrificing the image of the country on the altar of political affiliations.

No one should see this as an attack on the personality of the Stateswoman because, that is not so, however, it is heartbreaking and distasteful for someone who has been in the hem of affairs of Education in this country to make such comments as if she never encountered the challenges she highlighted as the reasons to which she believes the results were without merits.

It must be noted that critics of Prof. Opoku-Agyemang are not new to the educational sector of our country, nonetheless, the question, I seek to ask, under her tenure as Minister of Education, did we or did we not encounter the similar challenges as she pinpoints, and does that in anyway juxtapose that, all WASSCE results were compromised and that, they were without merits, as she claims last year’s results were? Or it’s due to the increase in performance? I seem not to get this!

How on earth can a Former Minister of Education claim that, since “She heard or We heard” of leaked questions, it affirms that, the government sort-off provided the examination questions to the students in order to pass?

Dear Prof. does that then mean that, “when we also heard” that exams questions have been leaked and that some results were even cancelled under your regime as Minister, those results were also compromised and that the government sort-off provided the examination questions to the students who passed? Very unfortunate right?

With all due respect to the renowned Professor, her comments poses a threat to the future of young school children in the country on the global front, it also casts dinted image on the tireless efforts of our teachers and management of Senior High Schools in Ghana and also created the impression that, Ghanaian SHS students can only pass their WASSCE exams at the support of the government by providing examination questions to them.

Isn’t it obvious that, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang is exercising intellectual dishonesty and wouldn’t like to appreciate the achievement of the students who sat for the exams last year? Isn’t it obvious that, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang is not in the state of encouraging teachers who in the wake of this global pandemic are working assiduously to ensure that, students excel in their final exams?
Should we also conclude that, based on the comment from the Former Education Minister, she doesn’t wish the country well? No one is against her critics, but comments of such nature cannot be termed as constructive critics but major threats to the progress of the country and the protection of the dignity of this country and I strongly oppose to this attempt from a Stateswoman of her kind.

Dear Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, you have the ambition to be the Vice President of this country. If the People of Ghana voted for you in December, 2020, you would have been the first Vice President of this Republic, I do not in anyway think, you would have been happy if any Former Education Minister made such comments about the results of our dear SHS Students.
I would take it as if you never meant to pass such a comment, hence, my humble plead to you is to kindly render an unqualified apology to our students, teachers, management of various Senior High Schools and the entire country for this unfortunate and unacceptable comment which has casted a bad image on the reputation of our country.

I do accept there are lots of flaws within our education system and that persons like you are in the best position to help solve them but politically motivated comments such as this is highly unacceptable and the least to be expected from a Stateswoman.
Ghana Deserves Better!!!

By Edmund Eyram Afun-Peters

Freelance Public Policy Analyst
[email protected]