From August 2020, the West African Examination (WAEC) will ban the use of mathematical sets and wristwatches in the examination halls. According to the Committee on Finance in Parliament, these instruments contribute to the high rise in examination malpractices.
The committee has, in place, waved taxes on the supply of Kapek Scientific Mathematical Instruments by M/S BLUEGRASS Group Limited. The instrument, priced at GH¢75 per unit, is a combination of a scientific calculator and mathematical set in transparent plastic, and specifically customised for the WAEC.
The new instrument is built as a non-programmable calculator with over 400 basic mathematics functions, formulae and symbols for fast and easy computation. According to the Committee’s report, the instrument, when introduced, will combat examination malpractices perpetuated, especially by use of mathematical sets and calculators in the exams halls by candidates in all WAEC examinations.
It also stated that it will help improve the rating of the certificates issued by the examining body and boost confidence of Ghana’s educational system. Additionally, it will provide two-in-one functionality, which comes as a cheaper alternative to acquiring a maths set and calculator individually.
The report also noted that since the instrument would be used in the upcoming WAEC examinations, the Ministry of Education would distribute some to schools to enable the students acquaint themselves with it.
They gave the assurance that the instrument was not complicated and it is expected that every examinee would be able to use it without any difficulty. They also said a similar thing is already in operation in Nigeria and has helped reduced exams malpractices, so it would help Ghana too.
However, a former Deputy Minister of Education in charge of Tertiary Education, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, raised concerns about why the country would import a mathematical set instead of empowering local manufacturers to produce it.
He indicated that the country cannot achieve the “Ghana Beyond Aid” agenda when it keeps importing the very basic things that it can produce.
“I would wish that after all these years we will have a local manufacturing company to produce this very basic and scientific mathematical instrument in Ghana. We are importing all of them and I am worried about it. I have seen some Ghanaian companies that have come up with very creative scientific sets that can be made readily available to MPs to consider for our constituencies,” he said.
He said Ghana should use some of these interventions to build local capacity and not always import, since it would not really help grow the economy. “Mathematical instruments are so basic, and I believe that if there was a political will, we could have got a company here in Ghana to produce it, instead of importing it.”
The Majority Leader, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, while responding to the concern about producing the instrument, said that he was not sure if the country had the materials to produce them.
He said Ghana’s iron and steel industry had not found its feet yet, “so we are not there yet.” He said we have to blame ourselves for this predicament, because for a long time we have been exporting our minerals in their raw state and not adding value to it. He, however, indicated that the instrument could be assembled in the country, so that should be done next time.
Meanwhile, Parliament has also approved the a waiver of an amount of US$ 289,445.07 on tools and hardware, in respect of the Ghana Radio Astronomy Project and Colocation of the Satellite Earth Observation Ground Receiving Station at Kuntunse for the Ghana Space Science & Technology Institute.
The project, when completed, is expected to contribute significantly to the development of highly skilled human capital for sectors of the economy, such as software, mechanical and structural, electronic and electrical, control and monitoring engineering, and various fields in science and technology.
The facility would be used chiefly to train students in Astronomy, Astrophysics, Cosmology and Space Science.
The post WAEC bans use of maths sets, wristwatches in exams halls appeared first on The Chronicle Online.
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