The relatively poor result of the 2016 West Africa Senior Schools Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) is a result of a poor economy, the National President of NAGRAT has said.

Christian Addai Opoku told TV3’s Wendy Laryea on Midday Live on Thursday that the WASSCE results are symptoms of a bad economy.

The West African Examinations Council (Waec) on Tuesday released the 2016 WASSCE results, describing them as “slightly better” than 2015’s.

However, 1,576 candidates had their subject results cancelled while 598 candidates had their entire results cancelled.

There has been mixed reaction to the results with some calling for a long-term educational reform to arrest the falling standards.

The National President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) opined that education thrives on a good economy.

“What we are witnessing is a mark of an economy that is lifting itself for development,” he observed.

He said most students may be bearing the brunt of parents’ inability to provide some services as a result of an ailing economy.

He cited how first year students report late to school, at a time the first term is almost done with, and how WAEC has drawn so close the date of examinations for final year students. He said that has indirectly shortened the senior high school duration.

He did not, however, absolve teachers of blame, stressing: “As teachers, we take part of the blame”.

“Apart from that I think government would have to prioritise education more that it has done.”

He also condemned the technology craze by the current generation of students, saying “It appears our students are chasing technology wrongly.”

Source: 3news.com|Ghana

Twitter: @3Newsgh