By Alvin Lansana Kargbo
The Civil Rights Coalition (CRC) has launched a district-level awareness campaign to educate families and communities on the Continuous Assessment Score (CASS) and the importance of the Basic Registration System (BRS). The initiative kicked off on Tuesday 25th February, 2025 at Congo Market in Freetown and will run until March 20, 2025, targeting key gathering areas such as markets and transport hubs across the capital.
The Government of Sierra Leone, through the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), introduced CASS as part of a broader effort to improve learning outcomes and accountability. Enshrined in the Education Act of 2023, CASS ensures that pupil evaluations are based on a combination of coursework and final exams rather than a single test. However, challenges in implementation have led to some pupils being disadvantaged due to misinformation, missed deadlines and lack of awareness among parents and educators.
Speaking at the launch, CRC Coordinator Alphonso Manley highlighted the Coalition’s role in supporting public education through advocacy and collaboration with the Ministry of Basic Education. He stressed the need for accurate and timely submission of assessment scores, emphasizing that failure to do so could prevent pupils from sitting for crucial exams like the National Primary School Examination (NPSE) and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
“Our focus is to ensure parents understand the significance of CASS and actively monitor their children’s progress. We urge all parents to visit schools and verify that their children’s assessment scores have been submitted before the February 27 deadline,” he stated.
He further encouraged school Principals to cooperate by showing parents their children’s reference numbers and academic records to prevent last-minute surprises. The CRC plans to sustain community engagement beyond the initial campaign period by continuously working with educational stakeholders to improve the system’s efficiency.
Representing the Ministry of Basic Education, Ibrahim Modibo Kella reiterated the importance of continuous assessment in fostering academic success. He explained that the previous system, which relied entirely on final exams, often disadvantaged pupils who performed poorly under exam pressure.
“With CASS, pupils accumulate 30% of their final grade from ongoing assessments in SS1 through SS3, while the remaining 70% comes from final exams. This provides a more balanced evaluation, allowing pupils a better chance at academic success and university admission,” he explained.
He urged parents to remain engaged with their children’s education by maintaining close communication with school Principals and teachers. He also commended the CRC for its proactive efforts in ensuring that no pupil is left behind due to a lack of awareness.
Abass Macca Leigh, Principal of Government Model Senior Secondary School, emphasized the necessity of timely registration for CASS. He warned that pupils who fail to register will not be able to sit for exams, regardless of their academic performance.
“Parents must take this matter seriously. Schools are responsible for submitting assessment scores, but parents must verify that their children’s names appear on official records,” Abass Leigh said.
Community leaders also weighed in on the discussion, emphasizing the need for improved information dissemination. Chief Ya Alimamy Fofana of Congo Market acknowledged the struggles many parents face in accessing vital education updates.
“Not everyone has access to radio, television or the internet. Many parents remain unaware of critical deadlines and this has led to some children missing their exams. We appreciate CRC’s efforts to bring this message directly to the people,” she stated.
She also raised concerns about systemic issues, such as students’ names disappearing from official records despite meeting the requirements. She called on parents to be proactive in ensuring that their children’s documents, including National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA) documents, are in order.
As the awareness campaign continues, stakeholders have called for collective responsibility in ensuring that no child is left out of the education system due to technicalities. The CRC aims to visit all major markets and parks in Freetown to spread the message, urging parents, teachers and school authorities to work together for a smoother implementation of the CASS system.
With the final submission deadline for NPSE and BECE assessments fast approaching on February 27, the call to action is clear: parents must verify their children’s assessment records now to avoid future complications.
