Allow universities to admit D7 students – Rector

The Rector of Zenith University College, Stephen Takyi Asiedu, wants Parliament to reverse a policy which bars tertiary institutions from admitting students who had D7 in core subjects in the West African Examination Council(WASSCE) results.

Senior High School graduates with D7, considered a pass mark, in subjects namely;  English, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies in their WASSCE results, are denied admission by the universities.

Mr. Asiedu noted that the enrollment of Zenith University College has been affected  by the policy. He complained that the school in the past was admitting over 2,500 students every academic year, but the number had reduced to 1,800 in recent times.

The rector decried the policy when the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education paid a familiarization tour of the school on Monday.

 

Mr. Asiedu told citifmonline.com that “If D7 had been a pass mark that one could use to enter the university, we would have had a number of students enrolling in our programme,” he said.

The Rector explained that because of the policy, the school is compelled to reject applicants with that grade.

“In our case, when they complete the forms, they are processed at a time…once you bring a D7 they don’t even process that. What I know is that all D7s are rejected.”

He pleaded with the MPs to reverse the policy since it is affecting the tertiary sector and students as well.

“If in the pass, D7 is considered as a credit for one to enter into a university, why now, why are we saying it’s not a pass,” he quizzed.

D7 should not be a fail mark

The ninth National Delegates Congress of the Private Universities Students’ Association of Ghana (PUSAG) had earlier expressed similar sentiments.

Professor Kwesi Yankah, President of the Central University College and Chairman of the Council of Independent Private Universities, who made the call in a key note address, said students who are graded D7 in various subjects are not failures.

Below is the WAEC grading system:

WASSCE	INTERPRETATION
A1	EXCELLENT
B2	VERY GOOD
B3	GOOD
C4, C5, C6	CREDIT
D7, E8	PASS
F9	FAIL

Source : Citi-fm