GCE candidates battle with epileptic power supply

Thousands of candidates writing the June 2015 session of the General Certificate of Education, GCE, examinations in Kumba, Southwest Region, have been trapped in a disturbing on-and-off power supply for over two weeks since the exams started.

Many of the students who spoke to The Post were not only disenchanted with the energy utility company, ENEO, but said the prevailing epileptic power supply would affect the quality of their results.

In the last two weeks, the supply of electricity in Kumba has been very epileptic.

Power goes off at dawn and flickers back for about 10 minutes before going off throughout the entire night, a period which most GCE candidates are believed to be revising their notes.

While the situation has remained painful, the students who fill cheated have resorted to substitute sources of illumination to maintain their quest for success at the examination.

Susan Itoe, an Ordinary Level candidate, told The Post that; “The last two weeks have been very traumatising to me. I have been switching from electricity to candles. This switching does not only affect my eyes and brain only, but it also makes me to lose concentration on the subject I am reading, compared to when electricity is stable”.

Itoe pleaded with the Government to take measures to ameliorate the situation, especially at a period when thousands of youths are sitting for their exams.

Another student, Frankline Njong, said since the commencement of the examinations, the supply of electricity has worsened.

“I have a rechargeable lamp which enables me to revise each time the lights go out, but I still feel like the revision is not effective without electricity.”

Smith Efua, on his part, admitted that the epileptic power supply in Kumba during this critical period may affect his performance in the examinations.

Other students said the nature of electricity supply in Kumba has altered the way they used to carry out group revision and they fear that this alteration may affect their grades.

To Ruth, the recent twist of things has forced her to go back to her hurricane lamp.

Consumers Clamour To Pay Bills

Despite the uncertainty of electricity supply in Kumba, hundreds of consumers are still spotted rushing to ENEO office to pay their bills at the end of each month. According to them, they are rushing to pay their bills is to prevent the payment of penalties if their meters are eventually removed.

Significantly, the ENEO agency in Kumba lacks an alternative power supply source, like a generator, to sustain the effectiveness of payments.

In this light, Kumba city dwellers trek to business centres which have generators to photocopy their bills for manual payments to be effected.

In the midst of the numerous challenges of electricity supply, officials at the ENEO office in kumba said they have not been authorised to make any public statements regarding the power crisis.