Minister Conrad Sackey Under Fire
The Ministry of Education is under intense national scrutiny as waves of frustration sweep across the country, with thousands of students reportedly unable to take the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) due to complications surrounding the Basic Requirements for Sitting (BRS) and a new grading system known as “Kass.” As devastated parents and heartbroken students are calling on President Julius Maada Bio to intervene, citing what they describe as a disastrous failure in the education system’s management. Many students have met the BRS criteria but are still being denied access to the exams, while others say they were never properly informed or given a fair opportunity to meet these so-called “Kass” standards.
“This is not just unfair. It is a betrayal of the Free Quality Education promise,” said a parent in Bo. “Our children worked hard for this moment, and now their future is being under thresat over technicalities they barely understand.” Students in both rural and urban areas are staging peaceful protests, while community leaders and education stakeholders are demanding urgent transparency and accountability from Minister Conrad Sackey. Social media is ablaze with angry reactions, with hashtags like #LetThemSit and #SaveOurStudents trending across platforms
A senior teacher in Kenema said, “This is the first time in decades that we’re seeing this level of exclusion. Some students were only informed days before the exams that they wouldn’t be eligible. This chaos will haunt these young minds for years.”
Opposition voices and Civil Society Organizations are now calling for a full investigation into how the BRS and Kass policies were implemented. They are also urging the Ministry of Education to immediately allow affected students to sit the exams or risk irreparable damage to their academic futures.
The Ministry of Education has yet to issue a statement addressing the crisis, but insiders suggest pressure is mounting within cabinet for swift corrective action.
As the situation escalates, all eyes are now turn to President Bio, who is being urged to make a decisive intervention to safeguard the futures of thousands of Sierra Leone’s young citizens.
