The principals made this remark on Monday during a visit to some senior secondary schools in regions 2 and 4 by Jerre Sanyang, deputy Permanent Secretary and Principal Secretary, Modou Bah, all from the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE).
The ministry officials were out and about to assess the situation first-hand regarding the sitting arrangement of grade 12 students and how the exams are faring on day one of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination.
It was also designed to assess whether these grade 12 students are in possession of calculators given to them by the ministry as well as observing Covid-19 measures.
At Jersey Technical Senior Secondary School in Sohm, Kombo East, Nicholas B. Mendy, vice principal of the school, expressed delight that his students would do well in the exams.
“Because of Covid-19 pandemic we’ve created two examination classes all geared towards fighting the global pandemic,” he said.
At St. Vianney Senior Secondary School in Bullock, Foni Berefet, principal of the school, Nicholas Jatta said his students are well prepared for the exams.
“Am optimistic that my students will do well in the exams”.
At Tahir Ahmadiyya Muslim Senior Secondary School in Mansakonko, principal of the school, Abubacarr Nyabally expressed similar sentiments.
“We prepared our students well for the exams. Kudos to the Regional Education Directorates in Region 3 and team and the ministry for their support to my school during this trying time of covid-19,” Nyabally said.
Mayork Senior School Principal, Hamidou Jarjue said: “This is an opportunity for grade 12 students because by the time of the first wave of the covid-19, senior schools completed their syllabus”.
“During the closure of the schools what the students should do is to study hard because they were staying at home, so it should be seen as a normal exam as it used to be before the spread of the pandemic,” he explained.
Elsewhere, principal of Somita Senior Secondary, Koyo Kandeh and vice principal of Sibanor Senior, Lamin Dampha and Yaya Jallow, an internal Supervisor at Fatima Senior Secondary School, all spoke with confidence that their students will do well in the exams.
Similar school visit was conducted on Monday by MoBSE PS, Louis Moses Mendy and Essa Marong, principal secretary to almost all the senior secondary schools in Region (1).
By Lamin B. Darboe
Information Officer, MoBSE