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Ghana to write 2022 WASSCE alone
Only Ghanaian candidates are left to write the West African Senior High School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), scheduled from August 1 to September 27, 2022.
This is because the other four-member countries of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) — Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone and The Gambia have returned to the May/June calendar and had administered the WASSCE for their school candidates from May 9 to June 24, this year.
The four countries have had their academic calendars streamlined to enable them to write the examination in May/June, as Ghana sticks to the ‘new normal’ calendar occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Notwithstanding the late sitting, Ghanaian candidates will still compete for the National Distinction Award and the WAEC Excellence Award with candidates from those countries.
“Our candidates will still compete for the National Distinction Award and the WAEC Excellence Award, which is normally competed for by all candidates in the five-member countries,” the Head of the Ghana National Office of WAEC, Wendy Enyonam Addy-Lamptey, said.
Semester system
In an exclusive interview with the Daily Graphic, Mrs Addy-Lamptey explained that because candidates in the country started their academic year on February 7, this year, as a result of the new semester system, they were unable to subscribe to the examination.
She explained that considering the beginning of the 2022 academic year, the time was too short for the candidates to write the WASSCE in May/June.
“The time was too short and the candidates would not have adequately prepared for the examination and so the Ministry of Education requested that it be conducted for them in August and September 2022.
“Following from that, Ghanaian candidates will write a Ghana-only version of the WASSCE for School Candidates, starting from August 1 and ending on September 27,” she explained.
Caution
Mrs Addy-Lamptey observed that rogue website operators and scammers had already obtained snapshots of past question papers for WASSCE 2022 administered in the other member countries and were using those snapshots to advertise their websites.
“Some have requested candidates to register by paying a fee. We want to inform our publics that the examination being conducted has totally different questions/parallel questions from the papers written in the other member countries,” she emphasised.
The Head of the National Office of WAEC, however, added that the questions would certainly be of the same difficulty level and gave an assurance that “all post-examination arrangements will be handled internationally”.
“For example, the Standard Fixing and Grading Awards meetings will have representatives from the five member countries,” she explained.
Preparation
A total of 422,883 candidates from 977 schools registered for the WASSCE after the extended closing date of April 8, 2022.
The entry figure included 72 candidates with visual impairment, made up of 39 males and 33 females, as well as 14 candidates with hearing impairment.
Mrs Addy-Lamptey explained that 60 subjects, comprising four core and 56 electives, would be administered to prospective candidates.
“In addition to the four core subjects that all candidates write, candidates have the option to select up to a maximum of four elective subjects from the seven programmes offered in senior high schools,” she further explained.
Depots
She explained that the council utilised dedicated facilities (depots) for the storage of confidential materials in the various communities, and gave an assurance that “such facilities have been inspected and the necessary fortification and refurbishment works are being done to ensure that they meet the security requirements”.
“This year, the number of depots has been increased to reduce the time taken in moving the question papers from the depots to the examination centres, pushing the depots closer to the examination centres,” she said.
Source: Graphic.com.gh
Entertainment
Breaking News: Daddy Lumba is dead – Family announces
Ghanaian music legend Charles Kojo Fosu, popularly known as Daddy Lumba, has died.
His family confirmed the sad news in a press release issued on Saturday, saying the 60-year-old passed away earlier in the day after a short illness.
“It is with profound sorrow and deep grief that the Fosu family announces the passing of Ghana’s beloved musical icon,” the statement read.
Daddy Lumba was one of Ghana’s most celebrated highlife musicians. With a career spanning more than three decades, his songs touched millions, telling stories of love, pain, joy, and hope.
He was known for his powerful voice, emotional lyrics, and unique style that made him a household name across the country and beyond.
“His soulful voice provided the soundtrack to our love stories, and his poignant lyrics captured the poetry of our struggles, dreams, and resilience,” the family said.
The family has asked for privacy as they mourn their loss and promised to announce funeral arrangements in the coming days.
The statement was signed by Fati Ali Yallah, a lawyer from Baba Jamal & Associates, on behalf of the Fosu family.
Fans, fellow musicians, and Ghanaians across the country have started pouring out tributes on social media, remembering Daddy Lumba’s unmatched contribution to Ghanaian music.
Entertainment
Edem’s debut album gets praise from Sarkodie
Ghanaian rap star Sarkodie has celebrated fellow artiste Edem for his groundbreaking debut album “The Volta Regime”, calling it one of the greatest albums in Ghana’s music history.
In a heartfelt social media post, Sarkodie, whose real name is Michael Owusu Addo, reflected on the first time he heard Edem rap.
He said he was instantly impressed and knew Edem would have a serious impact on the music scene.
“I remember when I first encountered my brother Edem, I came back home to tell one of my hommies that this guy will have a serious impact on the music scene,”
“He was like naa because of the language barrier. I said I don’t hear language, I hear greatness. Big up my brother, you are still on my favourite emcee list.” Sarkodie wrote.
Edem, born Denning Edem Hotor, released The Volta Regime in 2009. The album boldly embraced the Ewe language and featured collaborations with top Ghanaian artists including Tinny, Kwabena Kwabena, and Jeremie Van-Garshong.
Despite initial doubts about how well Ewe rap would perform commercially, the album proved to be a major success and introduced a new wave of local-language hip-hop.
Songs like Bra Fre Me, Nyorvuviade, and the powerful Intro helped establish Edem’s lyrical prowess and cemented his place as a unique voice in the Ghanaian music industry.
At a time when the local scene was dominated by Twi and Ga-speaking rappers, Edem’s success broke barriers and made it clear that talent speaks louder than language.
His impact opened doors for more linguistic diversity in hiplife and hip-hop music across the country.
Sarkodie’s tribute is especially meaningful because both artists emerged around the same period. Sarkodie’s own debut album Makye also dropped in 2009, and the two have long shown mutual respect for each other’s craft.
Today, over 15 years after its release, The Volta Regime continues to inspire fans and artists alike. It remains a symbol of bold originality and cultural pride.
Edem has since released several projects and remains an active voice in Ghanaian music and youth advocacy. His legacy is a reminder that true greatness is not limited by language.
