The Ghana Education Service' s recent directive instructing invigilators to conduct thorough searches, including private parts, of both female and male candidates before the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) has sparked a fierce debate on the balance between ensuring fair examinations and respecting human rights.

The rationale behind the directive according to the Ghana Education Service is to create a level playing field for all candidates, ensuring that no one has an unfair advantage through potential exam malpractices. By implementing these stringent measures, the Ghana Education Service aims to uphold the integrity of the examination process and maintain public trust in the education system.

However, this directive has faced severe backlash, particularly from the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), who vehemently label it as a gross violation of human rights, specifically constituting s�xual harassment and abuse. The NDC argues that such invasive searches not only compromise the dignity and privacy of the students but also perpetuate a culture of fear and mistrust. The party in this case cannot imagine an invigilator touching private parts of BECE candidates just for the sake of preventing exams malpractices.

The opposition National Democratic Congress is of the opinion that this particular instruction should be cancelled. While examination malpractice is undoubtedly a grave concern that must be addressed, the approach taken by the Ghana Education Service has raised legitimate questions about the proportionality of the measures. Critics argue that there should be alternative means of ensuring exam integrity without resorting to invasive and potentially traumatizing procedures.

Some potential alternatives to intrusive searches could include leveraging modern technology, such as advanced surveillance systems, biometric identification, and secure examination papers. Furthermore, enhancing the training of invigilators to detect and prevent cheating attempts discreetly may prove to be a more effective and respectful strategy.

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Dorcas Prah

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