The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has warned both candidates and examination officials to avoid violence and malpractice during the ongoing Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), stressing that any attack on invigilators could attract harsh penalties, including a lifetime ban from future exams.
WAEC’s Head of Public Affairs, John Kapi, revealed that seven malpractice cases were recorded on the first day of the exams across three regions.
Speaking in an interview with 3News on May 4, he stated that the incidents occurred in the Central, Bono, and Ashanti regions.
He outlined that the Central Region recorded three cases, while the Bono and Ashanti Regions reported two cases each, bringing the total to seven.
According to him, five of the cases involved candidates using mobile phones in the examination hall, while two cases involved invigilators allegedly preparing answers for candidates.
Mr Kapi further explained that among those implicated, three individuals were not actively invigilating at the time, while four were officially serving as invigilators.
He expressed concern over the continued involvement of teachers in malpractice despite repeated warnings and engagement with key stakeholders, including educators, traditional leaders, security agencies, PTAs, and parents.
He noted that both WAEC leadership and the minister of education have consistently emphasised strict consequences for such actions.
Despite these incidents, he indicated that the examination process has generally been smooth, with no candidate being prevented from sitting for their papers.
However, he acknowledged that some centres, particularly in parts of the Western Region, experienced delays in receiving examination materials, adding that efforts are being made to address these challenges as the exams continue.