Parliament, Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas,

By Sulaiman Jalloh

The speaker of Sierra Leone’s Parliament, Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas, has ordered the Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) to appear before the House on Tuesday 6 May  2025, the summons comes in response to growing concerns over irregularities surrounding the 2025 West African Examination Council (WAEC) exams.

The directive was issued during a parliamentary session with opposition whip Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara (AKK) raised the alarm about the status of over 100,000 students allegedly affected by issues related to the issuance of the Basic Registration Slip (BRS).

According to Hon. Kamara, many students who received their BRS are still unable to sit for the exams, sparking frustration among pupils, parents, and school authorities nationwide.

This is the future of our country, we cannot afford to ignore it, Kamara stated. This issue affects all of us in our constituencies. If you’re not aware of it, speak to the principals in your communities they will tell you about the challenges they are facing.

In response, Hon. Mohammed Jabbie, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Basic and Senior Secondary Education, maintained that most students with questionable BRS documentation were not officially registered. He explained that only students whose names appear on the approved list submitted by the MBSSE to WAEC are eligible to sit the exams.

If a student possesses a genuine BRS, their name will appear on the official list, which will be posted at each examination center, Jabbie asserted, students whose names are not on that list are not recognized by the ministry.

The conflicting accounts prompted Speaker Thomas to intervene, stating that the matter required direct clarification from the responsible authority.

This is the House of facts, said Hon. Kamara, we cannot rely on second-hand reports or hearsay. The public deserves answers from the Minister himself.”

In his ruling, Speaker Thomas agreed, let the Minister come here and explain to Members of Parliament and, by extension, the public, what is happening with the national exams. Members will have the opportunity to ask the necessary questions.

The minister’s appearance is expected to shed light on the integrity of the 2025 WAEC exam registration process and address growing public concern over possible systemic failures.

Copy right –Printed in the Expo Times News on Friday, May 9th, 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)