15th June, 2024
By Jethro Ibileke
The decision to cancel the the Cultural and Creative Art (CCA) paper slated for Friday in the ongoing Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), has been described as a welcome development.
The Edo State Government suspended the BECE examination paper, claiming that the question paper had leaked to the public.
To this end, members of the Coalition of Private Schools Association (CPSA), in Edo state has commemded the State Government for the decision.
The Coalition is made up of Association for Formidable Educational Development (AFED), National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) and the Association of Private School Owners of Edo Nigeria (APSON).
Speaking at a press conference on Friday in Benin, the Chairman of CPSA, Bishop Elakhe Ohis, said the state government took the decision to cancel the Cultural and Creative Art (CCA) paper in consultation with the Coalition.
He disassociated the Coalition from those seeking to undermine the effort and successes of the present state Ministry of Education in this regard.
According to him, “The attention of the Coalition of Private Schools Associations in Edo State has been drawn to a viral video and online report regarding the ongoing Basic Education Certificate Examination ( BECE ).
“We wish to state in strong terms that the 2024 BECE examination which commenced on Monday, 10th June 2024, has been going on smoothly with little or no logistics challenges.
“Exam questions arrived at the centres on time, OMR (Optical Mark Recognition) sheets are coded and individualised with the students names on them.
“Supervisors have been professional and students have been engaged in the examination properly with the Coalition of Private Schools carried along in the whole process.
“It became necessary to applaud the current Ministry of Education, Edo State and the team that put this examination activities together.
“The smooth-running of the 2024 BECE is the first in the history of Edo State where such magnitude of examination will be concurrently ongoing with the eventful events of the “State Education Week” which brought dignitaries across the African Continent.
“The Coalition of Private Schools Association in Edo State hereby dissociates from any video that seeks to undermine the effort and success of the present Ministry of Education in this regard.
“The decision to cancel the CCA formerly slated for today, 14th June 2024 was reached in consultation with the associations.
“Consequently, it was agreed that, the Practical Assessment will be used to form the Final Grades for Cultural and Creative Art,” Ohis said.