Impersonation, other examination malpractices on the rise in ongoing WASSCE – WAEC reveals

The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has raised concerns over a number of infractions detected in the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

The Council in a statement said it has received intelligence that some school authorities are collecting monies from candidates and organizing syndicate cheating in their schools.

WAEC also mentioned that it had “observed that impersonation cases, which hitherto were not being recorded in school examinations, are on the increase.”

Consequently, “some impersonators have been arrested in the ongoing examination and are in the grips of the law,” the council said.

It, thus, has issued a stern warning to students engaging in such acts and invigilators/teachers supervising the aforementioned practices to refrain from them.

WASSCE examination Students at the Senior High School level began their final year exam in early August in Ghana.

The exam is written by candidates in Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone and The Gambia and Ghana.

Although Ghanaian candidates began the exam in August, candidates in the other West African countries started in May, in line with the pre-COVID academic calendar.

The 2022 WASSCE is being administered to 422,883 candidates from 977 schools in Ghana. There are 673 public schools, an increase from 651 in 2021, and 304 private schools.

Students are expected to write exams on four core subjects, in addition to 56 (respective) elective subjects.

Students who pass the exam receive a certificate confirming their graduation from secondary education.

Preparations for WASSCE and the aftermath

Although the Council spearheading the exam (i.e WAEC) instituted various measures to check examination malpractices prior to the conduct of the exam, it has been reported that there have been various breaches so far.

“The West African Senior School Certificate Examination (Ghana only version) enters its fifth week with the conduct of two core papers, Social Studies and English Language to be administered on 5th and 8th September, 2022
respectively. The Council wishes to bring to the attention of stakeholders and members of the public a number of issues which are emerging from the conduct of the examination.

“Reports reaching the Council indicate that some school authorities have adopted the practice of locking their school gates during the examination period with the aim of preventing WAEC Inspectors and Monitors from gaining access into their school compounds to monitor the examination,” it said.

School authorities, especially those engaged in this act, are thus directed to desist from the practice as such activities amount to acts of examination irregularities.

The council also mentioned that some schools are flouting the ban on the use of mobile phones in the examination hall. While calling on school authorities to keep this under check, WAEC also cautioned students to desist from the act since their results can be cancelled when they are caught.

“A number of candidates have been caught with mobile phones in examination halls. Candidates are reminded that their entire results will be cancelled when they are caught with mobile phones in the examination halls. The Council wishes to call upon school authorities, supervisors, invigilators, parents, and guardians to ensure that candidates abide by this rule.”

“Supervisors and invigilators are also being reminded of the ban on their use of mobile phones at examination centres,” it said.

It also stated that it had received reports of syndicated cheating in schools.

“Perpetrators of these acts are being cautioned to desist from them. The Council has the mandate to de-recognise schools caught engaging in this malpractice. Candidates identified as having colluded would have their results canceled,” it said.

Nonetheless, the Council said it is working closely with the Ghana Education Service, the National Intelligence Bureau and other security operatives to check infringements of the rules and regulations governing the ongoing examination.

“Some hot spots have been identified and monitoring of these centers has been intensified,” it stressed.

“The Council urges all stakeholders to collaborate with it to safeguard the integrity of the examination,” it added.

Source: The Independent Ghana|