The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has confirmed the arrest of 10 individuals for engaging in examination malpractices during the 2025 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), which commenced on Wednesday, June 11. The nationwide exam has over 600,000 registered candidates.
According to WAEC, the arrested individuals have been handed over to the police for further investigation and prosecution.
Speaking on the JoyNews AM Show, WAEC’s Head of Public Affairs, John Kapi, revealed that the infractions included collusion, impersonation, and possession of unauthorized materials—offences that could lead to the cancellation or withholding of results.
“One supervisor was caught with a mobile phone, taking smart shots of the exam questions and sharing them on social media,” Mr. Kapi stated. “Additionally, six invigilators were found with mobile phones containing images of the examination papers.”
A woman claiming to be a fashion designer was also arrested after she was caught attempting to distribute photocopied answers to candidates. Among the other individuals implicated were a student nurse and a private school administrator.
Mr. Kapi praised the swift intervention of WAEC monitors who apprehended suspects at various centres. He also indicated that investigations are still ongoing as reports from other examination centres continue to be compiled.
To strengthen the fight against malpractice, WAEC is collaborating with law enforcement agencies, including the National Investigations Bureau (NIB). Mr. Kapi said he had spoken with the Ahafo Regional office of the NIB, which assured the deployment of personnel to identified hotspots.
In addition, the Ghana Education Service (GES) has deployed its own personnel to support WAEC’s monitoring activities nationwide.
“With this increased presence, we believe the incidence of malpractice will reduce significantly,” Mr. Kapi added.