By Shadrach Aziz Kamara
The Chief Whip of the Opposition, Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara (Hon. AKK), has raised serious concerns over data integrity, school monitoring, and examination management during a parliamentary debate on challenges affecting public examinations and school enrolment in Sierra Leone.
Speaking from the well of Parliament, Hon. Kamara said he was not surprised by the issues highlighted, noting that he has been closely involved in the matter for over five years. He stressed that because examinations involve children, sincerity and accuracy must guide every decision taken by both the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) and school authorities.
“We must not only look at the facts presented; we must think deeply and ensure that what is laid before us is factual,” Hon. Kamara told Parliament.
The Opposition Chief Whip questioned how examination data certified by the Ministry of Education could later be described as unreliable, warning against what he termed a “garbage in, garbage out” approach to national education data.
He pointed out that the Ministry conducts annual school censuses at significant public cost, and asked why those processes were unable to accurately determine the number of pupils eligible to sit public examinations each year.
Hon. Kamara further queried whether candidates were required to submit National Identification Numbers (NIN/EIN), arguing that a properly integrated system should prevent duplication and manipulation of candidate records.
“If every child has an index number and an EIN number, then duplication should not occur. We must build and trust the system,” he said.
Referring to figures presented to Parliament, Hon. Kamara expressed concern over discrepancies where 119 candidates were reportedly expected to sit examinations, yet over 260 candidates appeared in uploaded records across a three-year period. He questioned what becomes of pupils who are disqualified or excluded, asking whether they are being forced into private schools without a clear national policy.
The Opposition Chief Whip also drew attention to the existence of unapproved schools operating outside the government system, warning that such institutions distort census data and create difficulties when pupils are registered for public examinations.
“Schools that are not approved are not captured in the census, and when examination time comes, children are told they do not have the right papers,” he noted.
He urged the Ministry to intensify monitoring of school admissions, particularly at Junior Secondary School level, and to require schools to submit verified admission lists to prevent future irregularities.
According to Hon. Kamara, the Ministry should be able to project the number of candidates eligible for examinations years in advance, based on census data collected from primary and junior secondary levels.
While acknowledging the need for school heads to make formal undertakings to uphold standards, Hon. Kamara maintained that the larger responsibility lies with the Ministry to establish a robust, centralized database capable of identifying eligible candidates long before examination registration begins.
He concluded by calling on the Ministry to clamp down on unapproved schools and, where possible, regularize those that meet required standards in order to protect pupils from being unfairly excluded.
“The challenges are more than what has been presented to us, but we must fix the system so that parents and children are not subjected to confusion and hardship every year,” he said.
