Seven prisoners sit GCE examinations in Buea

The June 2015 session of the General Certificate of Education Examination started yesterday with subjects both at the Ordinary and Advanced Levels.

The written part of the Cameroon General Certificate of Education (GCE) examinations began yesterday, June 1, 2015, with no hitches reported in the six administrative divisions of the South West Region.

In Buea, the examinations began hitch-free in the various centres. Cameroon Tribune visited Bilingual Grammar School, Molyko and Government High School, Bokwaongo, where 3,186 and 1,233 candidates respectively are writing the examinations in the next three weeks.

Hannah Mbua Etonde, Chief of Centre, Government High School, Bokwaongo, told CT that all was going on well. She said the session started with the assembly of candidates at 7:20 am, followed by an orientation session and warning against examination mal-practices.

Thereafter, candidates were searched by invigilators before they entered the halls to ensure that no unwanted material was taken in. The examinations finally started at 8: am.

She added that a total number of 1, 233 candidates will write in that centre, out of which 878 wrote Ordinary and Advanced Level Economics yesterday. Also, ‘A’ Level Geology was written at 8 am.

The Principal and Chief of the GCE Centre noted that 11external candidates were absent for reasons not known yet. “We had hitch-free examinations, no serious problem, but for some candidates who misplaced their individual timetables or lost their identity cards. We allowed them to write, but such problems must be rectified before the next papers,” Hannah Mbua Etonde pointed out.

What is peculiar about Government High School Bokwaongo centre is that for the first time, they got seven prisoner-candidates from the Buea Central Prison who went in for the GCE Ordinary Level. They were accompanied by some warders and were allowed to write like every other candidate.

The warders stayed on the campus to keep a close eye on them. One of the prisoners, Tita Gilbert, told CT that the examinations were within reach. “I prayed that the same God who has given us the knowledge to write will be with us all through the exams. I never faced any major challenge in preparing for the examinations. I prepared well and I am confident I will make it,” he said.

Lois Ikome, Chief of Centre at the Bilingual Grammar School Molyko, said 3,186 people registered. Some 1,920 were expected to sit Economics Ordinary and Advanced Levels, and Geology ‘A’ Level yesterday, but 42 candidates were absent. Baccalaureate too started at 8: am without problems.