COLTEK PREPARES FOR WATERTIGHT EXAMINATIONS

With examinations for the first semester of the 2017/2018 academic year, just a couple of weeks away, the Department of Academic Affairs (DAA) at the College of Technology Education, Kumasi (COLTEK) of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) has moved into full swing preparations to guarantee a smooth and flawless process. Last Friday, November 17, 2017, it held a workshop and training for all academic and non-academic staff (National Service Personnel inclusive) at COLTEK to prepare them on the respective roles they might play in the cause of the examinations.

Additionally, as at the time of the workshop, the DAA was also at an advanced stage of planning to roll-out a special awareness creation programme among students on the various governing rules and regulations of examinations in UEW. Addressing the workshop, the Head of the DAA, Mr. Charles Baba Campion stressed the uncompromising posturing that Management of UEW has towards examinations by stressing that “a key sin that is unforgiveable in our university is the sin of examination malpractice”. He therefore urged all participants who had interest in participating in the examination process as invigilators, assistant invigilators, examiners etc. to school themselves on examination-related policies so they would not fall foul and face sanctions, some as severe as dismissal. “We cannot afford to lower standards as regards examinations because our survival as an institution is largely hinged on the integrity and reliability of the examinations we organise. Therefore, we must all strive to keep the standard that high so the public would have value for our certificates”, he encouraged the participants. The Director for Center for Competency-Based Training and Research (CCBTR) at COLTEK, Mr. Francis Donkor advised participants to treat students with respect in examination halls.

That he explained was not to suggest that invigilators must be compromising but in rare situations when students were inconvenienced because of delay in arrival of question papers, for instance, invigilators must be apologetic and try to calm down the students when they got agitated. Meanwhile, he proposed the spacing out of students in examination halls, taking strict steps to prevent students from sneaking into examination halls to write on their tables, writing on their laps or handkerchiefs or sneaking in with document as some of the ways to prevent examination malpractice.

The Head of the Examinations Unit, Mr. Frank Mpere hinted that as part of the sensitisation efforts among students, the DAA had not only ensured a wide distribution of Students’ Handbooks at COLTEK, but was soon to display examination relevant portions of the Handbook on all notice boards and other visible areas of campus and organise talks on examination regulations so no student could feign ignorance.