By Kwame Okyere Darko Bekoe
The West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) has bemoaned the increasing cases of examination malpractices in the ongoing West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
In a press conference held in Accra on Friday, September 8, 2023, the Head of WAEC’s National Office, Very Reverend Dr. Sam Nii Nmai Ollennu, said that the council has recorded a significant increase in the number of cases of malpractices this year.
Dr. Ollennu said that some of the common forms of malpractices that have been reported include cheating, impersonation, and the use of unauthorized materials in the examination hall.
He said that WAEC has taken a number of measures to curb examination malpractices, including deploying more personnel to monitor the examinations, using technology to detect cheating, and working with law enforcement agencies to prosecute perpetrators.
However, Dr. Ollennu said that the council is still facing challenges in curbing the menace of examination malpractices. He called on all stakeholders to help WAEC to fight the problem.
“We need the support of all stakeholders, including parents, teachers, and school heads, to fight this menace,” he said. “We cannot do it alone.”
Dr. Ollennu also warned that WAEC will not hesitate to take disciplinary action against any candidate who is found to have engaged in examination malpractices.
“We will not spare any candidate who is found to have cheated,” he said. “We will ensure that they are punished accordingly.”
The WASSCE is a major examination that is taken by students in Ghana and other West African countries. The results of the examination are used for admission to tertiary institutions.
The ongoing WASSCE began on August 21, 2023, and is scheduled to end on September 26, 2023.
In addition to the press conference, WAEC has also released a statement on its website condemning examination malpractices. The statement said that WAEC is committed to ensuring the integrity of its examinations and that it will take all necessary measures to punish those who engage in malpractices.
The statement also urged all stakeholders to help WAEC to fight the menace of examination malpractices.
“We call on all stakeholders to join us in the fight against examination malpractices,” the statement said. “Together, we can make our examinations more credible and ensure that they are fair to all candidates.”