The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has expressed concern over the growing use of pidgin and social media language in students’ WASSCE scripts, warning that the trend is negatively affecting performance in English. John Kapi, Head of Public Relations at WAEC, spoke on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Friday.
“If you look at the English report that came out, for example, the Chief Examiner indicated that there was a lot of pidgin in what the candidates wrote. They also referred to what they called ‘social media language’ or jargons—things we normally use on WhatsApp which are not formal,” Kapi said.
He noted that some candidates struggled with basic standards in English, including spelling and essay writing.
“Especially in the English paper, some candidates could not use standard language, they could not spell properly, and they could not use the appropriate language to write their essays,” he stated.
Kapi stressed that addressing the issue requires action both at home and within the school system.
“We need to look at it from home, from where the children grow up, and also examine whether the school system has enough support structures to help students learn. As a society, there is a lot we must address to put our children in a position to learn well,” he added.
The WAEC spokesperson’s remarks highlight concerns about language proficiency and the need for coordinated efforts to improve students’ command of standard English in exams.
