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The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has identified a new form of examination malpractice where candidates conceal money and contact numbers in their answer booklets to influence examiners. These contact numbers are often accompanied by inscriptions such as “call me,” “help me,” and “call my mom,” aimed at appealing to the examiners’ empathy.
WAEC has urged for a review of the sanction regime to curb these illegal activities. A recent study by the council showed a concerning rise in examination malpractice, with the percentage of candidates involved increasing from 2% in 2021 to 10% in 2023.
John Kapi, WAEC’s Head of Corporate Affairs, highlighted the alarming trend, noting that candidates are including telephone numbers and phrases like “help me” and “just call my mom” in their answer booklets, along with GHC50 or more.
To combat this, WAEC has recruited staff from the Ghana Education Service, Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Ghana Police Service, National Security, National Intelligence Bureau, and external monitoring agents to oversee the examinations.
Rev. Victor Brew, WAEC’s Head of Legal Affairs, emphasized the need for stricter penalties to deter malpractice. “The current fines range from GHC1,200 to GHC3,000, which is not a strong enough deterrent. Increasing these fines could help discourage such behavior,” he stated.
WAEC has reported 19 cases of examination malpractice, with four convictions and two ongoing cases. The Ghana Police Service is investigating the remaining incidents.
This year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) will run from Monday, July 8, to Monday, July 15, with 569,095 students expected to participate.
