The West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC) has expressed deep concern over the extensive examination malpractices observed at multiple examination centres during the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
In a joint effort, the National Intelligence Bureau and the Police have uncovered a web of malpractice, including students in possession of unauthorized materials, impersonators attempting to write exams on behalf of others, and invigilators allegedly aiding an examination malpractice cartel in exchange for money.
WAEC is diligently investigating these cases, working to identify the individuals involved, be they students, teachers, or supervisors complicit in these activities.
John Kapi, the Head of Public Affairs at WAEC, acknowledged the magnitude of the issue, stating, “We are actually taking a tally of them. Each day comes with a certain number.
The numbers are so overwhelming, we are trying to categorize them. And so for now, will not be able to give you a round figure, but you can be sure that the numbers, you know, are quite big.”
Several educational institutions have been implicated in the malpractice, including Otoo Memorial SHS, Mountain High SHS, Adu Gyamfi SHS, Only Believe SHS, Christian IPS, and Ideal College.
WAEC has uncovered various forms of malpractice, including:
Foreign Materials in Exam Halls
Candidates have been caught with prepared notes, textbooks, and torn pages from textbooks, intending to use them during exams.
Sharing Exam Papers on Social Media
Examiners have used smartphones to take pictures of question papers before exams and share them on social media platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram, along with solutions.
Impersonation
Incidents of impersonation have been reported, with an attempt by a national service person to write an exam on behalf of a candidate at Only Believe SHS. At Christian IPS, an impersonator and a teacher accomplice were apprehended.
Insertion of Absentee's Scripts
Ideal College La Paz campus was found attempting to insert scripts of seven absentee candidates into the exam envelope.
Exam Hall Malpractice and Syndicate Teaching
Reports indicate that solutions were written on whiteboards for candidates to copy, and these were hastily erased when WAEC inspectors arrived at the centres. The responsible individuals were handed over to the police.
Seized Mobile Phones
At Otoo Memorial School, approximately 86 mobile phones were confiscated from candidates.
