This archive report was first published on 13 June 2020.
On June 11, 2020, the Sierra Leone government announced plans to temporarily reopen schools next month to allow registered students to sit for the public examinations.
The decision was made to prevent the spread of the virus in schools, and an Emergency Education Taskforce has been set up to handle the logistical requirements ahead of the planned reopening.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MoBSSE), schools will reopen on July 1 and remain open for six weeks to allow students to prepare for and take the exams.
Three public examinations will be conducted within the period: the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE), the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), and National Primary School Examinations (NPSE).
These exams are conducted at a regional level by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and are transition stages for pupils to progress to the next level of their academic journey.
Sierra Leone had shut down schools on March 31 after recording its first case of Covid-19, and as of June 11, the country had recorded 1,085 confirmed Covid-19 cases.
