The monitoring teams set up by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) for this year’s West African Senior School Certificate Examination for School Candidates (WASSCE-SC) has uncovered a high number of irregularities and cheating by some candidates and invigilators.
This is in spite of the punitive measures put in place by the council and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to prosecute and dismiss perpetrators of examination malpractice.
The irregularities include impersonation, taking snapshot of questions and providing solutions, carrying of mobile phones into the examination halls.
Consequently, more than 16 persons were picked up at various examination centres, resulting in the seizure of 64 mobile phones in one school alone, as investigations continue into the malpractices.
Developments
Throwing light on the development at a press briefing in Accra yesterday to provide update on the 2025 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and WASSCE-SC, the Head of Public Affairs of WAEC, John Kapi, said two persons were arrested for impersonation at Ghana College in Kasoa in the Central Region.
The two have been sentenced to six months’ imprisonment each, while their accomplice was sentenced to eight months imprisonment.
“The proprietor of Christian IPS, Kukurantumi, as well as one of his invigilators have been arrested for creating a WhatsApp group in which they shared snapshots of questions and solutions.
They have been handed over to the police for further investigation.
“Ebenezer Fynn was arrested at St. Vincent College, Abura Dunkwa, for impersonation.
He has also been put before court,” the WAEC Head of Public Affairs said.
Mr Kapi stated that Hanna Lariba, a student of Yeji Senior High School, was arrested for impersonation at the Steps to Destiny SHS, Yeji, while another impersonator, Mumuni Abdul Hafiz, bolted before the monitoring team could apprehend him.
Mr Kapi said Maxwell Chamba and Amaglo Livingstone were arrested at Sefa Bonsu Royal SHS, Yeji, for impersonation.
He stated that Desmond Kodua was arrested at Abot College, Asante Bekwai, and that he was handed over to the police and subsequently put before court.
“He has been remanded in police custody for two weeks,” Mr Kapi pointed out.
Impersonation
“Osei Asibey Daniel was arrested at Atwima Kwanwoma Presbyterian SHS for impersonation. He has been handed over to the police; Raymond Kwasi was arrested at Atwima Kwanwoma Presbyterian SHS for contracting Daniel Osei Asibey to write the examination on behalf of Obeng Dapaah Emmanuel,” he said.
A Physics teacher at Ahafoman SHS was found with a mobile phone which contained snapshots of the Physics practical questions which he had shared, while Ernest Frimpong, an invigilator, was arrested at King James SHTS for possessing a mobile phone which had snapshots of the questions and solutions to them, Mr Kapi said.
“Patrick Essel, a former National Service person, was arrested for aiding a candidate to copy solutions from his mobile phone. Further investigation revealed that this was from a platform shared with the assistant supervisor, Michael Boateng. He has also been arrested,” Mr Kapi said.
“Besides these specific cases of irregularity, we have also received reports of candidates having in their possession mobile phones, prepared notes, photocopied answers obviously distributed by the invigilators,” he added.
64 Phones
At Adventist SHS, Bantama, Kumasi, Mr Kapi said 64 phones were retrieved from the candidates during the Elective Mathematics paper, adding that candidates from that school had since been moved to the WAEC Hall in Kumasi to continue with their examination.
The council also has a list of schools that have been reported for their involvement in acts of irregularity.
“Scripts of candidates from these schools will certainly be scrutinised.
We condemn these acts of dishonesty on the part of both teachers and candidates and urge all school heads to uphold the trust placed in them by ensuring that their schools stay above reproach.
In addition, we wish to state that the council will not hesitate to apply the full force of the law against any school authority undermining the credibility of the examination,” he said.
Withheld BECE
On the withheld BECE results, Mr Kapi said there were still a number of candidates who were suspected of collusion during the examination and had their results withheld.
He said investigations had been concluded and the relevant committees would determine the final outcome of their cases.
Background
The WASSCE-SC which started on August 5, this year, would end on September 19, 2025.
A total of 461,640 candidates made up of 207,381 males and 254,259 females drawn from 1,021 schools registered for the examination.
In the case of the BECE, the assessment was conducted from Wednesday, June 11 to Wednesday June 18, this year, with 603,328 candidates sitting for it.
The provisional results of the BECE for School Candidates were released on August 23, 2025.
Source: graphic.com.gh