The West African Examinations Council, WAEC, has announced the election of Prof. Thomas Brima Rick Yormah as the 21st Chairman of Council during the 72nd Annual Council Meeting.
Head of Public Affairs at WAEC headquarters in Accra, Ghana,Demianus Ojijeogu, announced the election in a statement weekend.
Prof. Yormah, who succeeded Prof. Ato Essuman from the Republic of Ghana, was elected at a week-long WAEC Council meeting held in the Republic of Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leonian President, Julius Maada Bio, who was represented by his vice, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, in his keynote address, declared the gathering opened and congratulated WAEC on its 72nd anniversary.
He noted that the council had played a crucial role in the educational development of the sub-region over the past seventy-two years and had, indeed, served as a catalyst for the educational reforms that had evolved in the member countries.
The Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Sierra Leone, Conrad Sackey, explained that since its inception in 1952, the council has played its role creditably by assisting in the development of sound education and ensuring the maintenance of educational standards.
He said this had given the people of the sub-region a vision of the great potentials that lie beyond examinations.
Sackey congratulated WAEC for remainng relevant for over seven decades and still counting while enjoining all stakeholders to rally the council and kick out examination malpractice in public examinations in the member countries.
At the event, the WAEC International Excellence Award was conferred on three Ghanaian candidates for their outstanding performance in the WASSCE for school candidates, 2023.
These recipients were Master Amo-Kodieh Leonard Kofi, 1st Prize, Master Dzandu Selorm, 2nd Prize, and Master Asenso-Gyambibi Daniel, 3rd Prize.
Master Amo-Kodieh Leonard Kofi was also presented with the Augustus Bandele Oyediran Award for Best Candidate in West Africa, 2023.
Two candidates from the Republic of Sierra Leone were recognized with the National Distinction Award, while another candidate was granted the National Merit Award.
Also, Prof. Jonas A. S. Redwood-Sawyerr has bestowed the title of Distinguished Friend of Council in acknowledgement of his exceptional contributions to the Council’s objectives, Naija News understands.
Prof. Yatta Kanu was elected as the Vice Chairman of the Council for a term of one year. She takes over from Dr. Ebrima Sisawo of the Republic of The Gambia.
The Council, which serves as the governing body of WAEC, convenes annually in rotation among its five member countries: The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone.
The 71st Meeting was hosted in Banjul in 2023 by the Government of the Republic of The Gambia, and the 73rd edition will be hosted by the Government of Liberia in March 2025, as per the invitation of Liberia’s delegation.
