The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has confirmed the arrest of six teachers and invigilators for their involvement in various examination malpractices during the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). John Kappi, WAEC’s Head of Public Affairs, revealed in an interview with JoyNews that these educators, along with a large number of students from both public and private schools across the country, were apprehended during the first week of exams.
“So far, we’ve arrested six teachers for multiple offenses,” Kappi stated. “As for the students, the numbers are overwhelming. We’re still compiling the data, and once we have the full list, we’ll release the figures.”
The teachers were allegedly caught aiding students by providing answers and engaging in other serious offenses. In certain areas, teachers were reportedly collecting money in exchange for assisting students in the examination halls.
“We deployed monitors, and what we found was widespread malpractice,” Kappi explained. “Many students were found with foreign materials, and in some cases, teachers were writing answers on the board for students to copy.” Kappi assured that all those involved will face disciplinary action in accordance with WAEC’s rules and regulations governing the examination.
In a related development, Serwaa Nyarko Senior High School in the Ashanti region has reported that three of its students failed to sit for the ongoing WASSCE. Rev. Richard Benson, the school’s assistant headmaster, stated that one student had traveled outside the country, while the whereabouts of the remaining two are unknown.
Out of the 792 students registered at Serwaa Nyarko SHS, 789 are currently sitting for the exams. Rev. Benson also noted that no examination malpractice has been reported at the school, though he mentioned that some students were frequently leaving the exam hall under the pretext of using the bathroom, prompting the school to impose stricter monitoring.
As WAEC intensifies its efforts to curb cheating, students and educators alike are reminded that the consequences of examination malpractice can be severe, threatening not only academic integrity but also future prospects.
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