WASSCE exam: Gen Z leader calls for checks on invigilators
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Sierra Loaded
Abdulai Barrie, leader of the Gen Z Salone movement, calls for the role of invigilators and English teachers to be examined after poor WASSCE 2026 results in Sierra Leone. He questions the presence of phones in examination rooms and is concerned about the psychological pressure faced by young candidates, according to Sierra Loaded.
Abdulai Barrie, leader of the Gen Z Salone movement in Sierra Leone, calls for stricter oversight of exam invigilators and English teachers, following poor results in the WASSCE 2026, the end-of-secondary-school examination. He made these remarks to Liberty Online TV, according to Sierra Loaded. In his view, students should not bear sole responsibility for these results.
Barrie questions how candidates were able to bring mobile phones into examination rooms. He believes the conduct of examination officials and the effectiveness of supervision should also be investigated, and that authorities should first examine the responsibility of those who supervise the centres, rather than focusing sanctions and criticism on the candidates. He is also concerned about the psychological pressure young candidates face after repeated failures, and considers that the education system must take their well-being into account.
Broadening the debate on English, Barrie claims the difficulties extend beyond secondary school and points to the command of the language among some public officials. He cites parliamentary debates and disagreements over the interpretation of legal and legislative texts. He asks the Ministry of Education to assess English teachers' competence, including through examinations, and doubts that some teachers, particularly outside major urban centres, have sufficient command of standard English. He finally stresses that Krio, widely spoken in some communities, makes learning standard English more difficult.
