The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has arrested 19 supervisors and invigilators across six regions for their alleged involvement in examination malpractice during the ongoing Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
According to Graphic Online’s Education Editor, Severious Kale Dery, a WAEC source confirmed that 10 of the suspects are from the Ashanti Region, three from the Eastern Region, and two each from the Bono and Central regions.
The remaining suspects include one each from the Greater Accra and Western regions.
The two suspects from the Bono Region have already been arraigned and fined GH¢2,400 each. The other 17 have been handed over to the police for processing and court proceedings.
In response, the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has issued a stern warning to all stakeholders, including candidates, teachers, headteachers, invigilators, and supervisors, against any form of malpractice.
A statement signed by Deputy Minister Dr. Clement Apaak read: “Despite our stern warnings, some unscrupulous persons have decided to do otherwise. It has therefore become necessary for the Ministry to reiterate the Minister’s warning. We are firmly convinced that any individual complicit in examination malpractice is an enemy of the state and will be dealt with ruthlessly.”
The statement added that candidates caught cheating, whether through unauthorised materials, collusion, or external assistance, risk having their results cancelled.
Teachers and officials who aid, abet, or ignore malpractice will face severe consequences, including dismissal, interdiction, and possible prosecution.
“Professional misconduct during national examinations will not be excused,” the statement emphasised. “Our resolve to boldly address this dangerous phenomenon affirms the government’s firm commitment to protecting the integrity of national examinations.”
The Ministry reminded would-be offenders of the fate of those caught in 2025: out of 40 persons involved in facilitating cheating, eight have been convicted and sentenced, while 32 are still being processed.
The eight convicted individuals have lost their jobs and will be removed from the GES payroll.
The Ministry, in collaboration with GES, WAEC, and security agencies, has deployed strict monitoring measures across all 2,303 examination centres.
“Any attempt to compromise the integrity of the 2026 BECE will attract immediate and severe sanctions,” the statement concluded, while wishing candidates the best of luck.
