Deputy Ranking Member of the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Dr Clement Apaak, has challenged the Ministry of Education to provide copies of the legal document that shows the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has granted the sole right to Kingdom Books and Stationery to produce past examination questions and examiner’s report in the country.
According to Dr. Apaak, his background checks revealed that the Deputy Minister of Education, John Ntim Fordjour, lied when he stated that the reason why the Ministry is procuring past examination questions from Kingdom Books and Stationery for the second time in a row is that they “own the sole right to reproduce past questions in the country”.
He said, as a member of the Education Committee of Parliament, he knows that government provides annual budgetary support for WAEC, hence the government could have used that leverage to acquire the rights to reproduce the past questions in a more competitive manner rather than buying them at the exorbitant price that Kingdom Books is selling to the country.
His comments come on the back of the procurement of past examination questions and examiner’s report on the West African Senior Schools Certificate Examination (WASSCE) by the government for candidates of this year’s exams.
He pointed out that the Minister of Education himself when he appeared in Parliament to speak on the issue, stated that they are procuring the past questions from Kingdom Books and Stationery because ‘‘they know Kingdom Books is the only entity that can do the job” in the country.
Education minister must come out with truth
To Dr. Apaak, these are two opposed statements from the Minister of Education and his deputy. This, he believes, cannot just be swept under the carpet but must come out to prove which is the truth.
“Which of the two of them are saying to Ghanaians about the past questions acquisition from Kingdom Books is true?” This issue has a lot more facets than what people seem to believe. One is the issue of the contract that I was talking about. I saw it,;it was online as part of the Minister’s effort to rebut what I was talking about and the attempt to suggest that I am making a claim that is untrue, which is what I reject.
“That is why I keep making references to the fact that if there is anyone to blame for any so-called mistake, I don’t believe it until a document tabled before Parliament to suggest otherwise, then the minister must be held accountable.”
Dr.Apaak
Contract hasn’t been signed
He noted that the contract has not seen a signature of a representative of;the Ministry of Education or Kingdom Books. He added that a stamp of the two institutions has also not been seen. So, the authenticity of the document itself is subject to doubt.
“And then you see,;when I asked the Minister the primary question,;I asked the question why the Ministry decided to sole source from Kingdom Books,;the Minister’s response to me was that as far as he knew it was Kingdom Books that could do the job.
“But now the Deputy Minister is telling us that the reason why this sole sourcing took place is because;WAEC has given Kingdom Books the exclusive right to reproduce the past questions.”
Dr. Apaak
