Permit me the opportunity to bring to light a dangerous and unethical practice by some WASSCE invigilators. It relates to religious (in)tolerance in Ghana and has the potential to culminate in serious misunderstanding and even confrontation. Some invigilators have come up with their own rules banning Muslim women from wearing hijabs/veils in the examination halls. At a time when the world is up in flames due to religious intolerance, we in Ghana are comfortably removed from these problems, staying mostly aloof as some people continue to stoke religious tensions, which God forbid could culminate in a ‘Benghazi style’ response. On Saturday, September 22, 2012, a Muslim lady was forced to take off her veil by an invigilator at the St. Johns Grammar school when she went to write the 2012 WASSCE Economics paper. No amount of explanation and pleading could change the officer’s mind. She was therefore forced to sit ‘naked’ as she took the exam. Those who understand the status of the veil in Islam, especially as it pertains to married women, will understand my use of the word ‘naked’. She felt uncomfortable that she decided to use a handkerchief to cover her head, at which point the invigilator who yelled at her: “you are here to write an exam and not to practice your religion! If you are not ready to write the paper, go out!” This was a serious offense of the highest order! To be clear, this is not WAEC policy, albeit the practice is condoned. Veils are not banned per WAEC regulations. This was a case of irrational discretion on the part of an officer who should have known better. I find this attitude highly repugnant and irrational in a religiously pluralistic society such as Ghana. The motivation behind such an objectionable attitude can only be religious intolerance, hence the attempt to embarrass the victim. Indeed, this is not the first time that Muslim women have borne the brunt of such intolerance towards the veil during exams. Just about a week before this incident, a similar case was reported in Koforidua, and the lady in question missed 45 minutes of exam time! Similar discrimination has occurred in some second cycle schools in the past, and the Muslim community has spoken out loud and clear about these. But is anybody listening? I am aware that these actions have been brought to the attention of WAEC in the past, but no action has been taken to stop the practice. When will action be taken? The repercussions of this attitude are wide and dangerous: it undermines religious tolerance and has the potential to create bitterness between people of different faiths. Its victims also suffer emotional stress, adding to the already-tense examination environment. The potential impact on the performance of a candidate in the examination is evident. It is high time that the relevant authorities responded to these issues so as not to make Muslims feel targeted by some unscrupulous individuals acting in the capacity of invigilators. WAEC must, as a matter of urgency, come out clearly on its position on these practices. It must inform candidates about their rights the same way as it educates them on their responsibilities and the course of action they must take when such rights are infringed upon. Very often, WAEC focuses on candidates’ responsibilities and ignores their rights. The media must also take up this issue to name and shame the perpetrators in order to preserve the religious harmony that Ghana currently enjoys. Let’s join hands to promote religious tolerance and defeat bigotry. Mutaru Mumin, Duisburg, Germany M.mutaru@gmail.com