WAEC Honours Outstanding Students
By Alusine Sesay
The national office of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), has on Wednesday February 26, 2020, recognized some outstanding and deserving candidates who took the National Primary School Examinations (NPSC), the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in 2017, 2018 and 2019 academic sessions.
The awards, which was organised by the Freetown section of the Research Division of WAEC, attracted public officials, parents, teachers, students and education stakeholders. The awardees include 16 females and 12 males.
Below are the candidates who are recognized by WAEC:
2019 WASSCE
First Position: Aiah Gbakima from Sierra Leone Grammar School, Freetown.
Second Position: Chelsea Williams from Beacon High School, Freetown .
Third Position: Alpha M. Kanu from Murialdo Secondary School, Lunsar
2019 BECE
First Position: Umu B. Koroma from Modern High School, Freetown.
Second Position: Nova Kaiwanday Manyeh from Sierra Leone Grammar School, Freetown. Third Position: Arianna Conton from the Modern High School, Freetown.
2019 NPSE
First Position: Affuah Russell from the International School, Freetown (Aggregate 360). Second Position: Esther Chantal Bright from the Modern Elementary School, Freetown (Aggregate 359).
Third Position: Taylor Williams Melrose D. A from the Tower Hill Kindergarten and Primary School, Freetown (Aggregate 358).
2018 WASSCE
First Position: Gabriel M. Tommy from the Prince of Wales, Freetown. Second Position: Amadu Jalloh from the Government Secondary School, Bo. Third Position: Albert D. Bangura from Prince of Wales, Freetown.
2018 BECE
First Position: Khadijatu Jalloh from the Annie Walsh Memorial School, Freetown. Second Position: Hooke Johan Harmonette D. from the Providence International High School, Freetown. Third Position: Othman Hafeez Taqi from the Sierra Leone Grammar School
2018 NPSE
First Position: Sia Esther Menjor from the Leone preparatory School, Freetown (aggregate 354).
Second Position: Joanna Tucker from International Primary School, Freetown (aggregate 352)
Third Position: Natasha Assamany and Kindomina Nancy Moriba from the Tower Hill Kindergarten and Primary School, and Njala University International School, Njala, respectively (aggregates 350).
WASSCE 2017
First Position: Juldeh Osman Bah from the Sierra Leone Grammar School, Freetown.
Second Position: Sheryl Carew from the International secondary School, Freetown.
Third Position: Ade James Williams from the Sierra Leone Grammar School.
BECE 2017
First Position: Carrietta Farma-Hai from the Modern High School, Freetown
Second Position: Sophie C.N. Kelson-Sesay from the Modern High School.
Third Position: Kanu Alex Dumble John from the Sierra Leone Grammar School.
NPSL 2017
First Position: Taylor Chidima X. A and Ibrahim Sesay from the Apex International Primary School and International primary School, respectively, (aggregates 355)
Third Position: Harleston vicriona Agnes R. W from the Freetown Modern Preparatory School (Aggregate 354).
The acting Head of Freetown Section of the Research Division of WAEC, Mr. M. G. Koroma, said that the awards ceremony was organised in line with WAEC’s vision to encourage academic and morale excellence among school children and its candidates.
“Today, candidates who have excelled have been recognised by Council with a token prize and a certificate in appreciation of their efforts at their studies, and to further encourage them to brave the higher academic and moral challenges ahead, the success of which would lead them into being good and responsible citizens,” Koroma said. He reminded the audience about the challenges ahead. He said that since 2003, no candidate from Sierra Leone received the WAEC International Excellence and Distinction Awards at the international WASSCE.
Koroma said that those who did well in 2019, will be in Liberia in March for them to be awarded internationally. He implored students to work hard so that Sierra Leone will be ahead of other countries and be recognised at the ceremony in 2020.
The Chief Education Officer at the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Dr Yatta Kanu said that WAEC decided in 1982 to use part of its Endowment Fund to create National Excellence and distinction awards.
“This was done with the intention of honoring and supporting students who work so hard to earn distinction and excellence in WAEC exams without allowing their performances to be tainted by examination malpractice which is very rampant not only in Sierra Leone today, but also in other WAEC member Countries,” she said. She said that the awards are important because between 2003 and 2017, no candidate from Sierra Leone qualified for the WAEC Excellence and Distinction awards.
The Chairperson of the occasion, Dr. Dele Sannoh said that the awards fall under the activities of the Endowment Fund. She said that Endowment Fund was conceived at the 38th annual Council meeting in Monrovia, Liberia, and concluded by applauding the awardees for their hard work and discipline.
Officer-in-Charge of the National Office of WAEC, Mr. Felix Akuffo-Badoo, applauded the awardees for their outstanding performances. He spoke about the WAEC’s mission to provide reliable educational assessment, and encourage academic and moral excellence among students.
One of the awardees, Chelsea Williams acknowledged WAEC for recognizing outstanding and deserving candidates for the WASSCE, BECE and NPSE. She said the awards would motivate other candidates to work hard so that they too would be recognized by WAEC.
