2025 WASSCE: 16 arrested, 64 phones seized at exam halls

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has announced a concerning rise in examination malpractice during this year’s West African Senior School Certificate Examination for School Candidates (WASSCE).

Monitoring teams assigned to oversee the examination process have discovered numerous cases of cheating, which include impersonation, unauthorized use of mobile phones, and the sharing of exam questions and answers.

Despite the strict measures put in place by WAEC and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to address these dishonest practices, the integrity of the examination process has been severely undermined.

The reported irregularities encompass:

-Impersonation of Candidates: Several individuals were caught trying to take exams on behalf of others.

-Use of Mobile Phones: Candidates were found bringing mobile phones into exam halls, with many using them to photograph questions and search for answers online.

-Collaboration Among Invigilators: Some invigilators were implicated in assisting candidates by sharing questions and solutions via digital platforms.

In a recent press conference, WAEC’s Head of Public Affairs, John Kapi, disclosed that 16 individuals were arrested at various examination centers.

Remarkably, a total of 64 mobile phones were seized from candidates at a single school during the Elective Mathematics paper.

Noteworthy arrests included:

-Two individuals at Ghana College in Kasoa were detained for impersonation and received six-month prison sentences, while their accomplice was sentenced to eight months.

-A proprietor and an invigilator at Christian IPS, Kukurantumi were found guilty of forming a WhatsApp group to share exam questions and solutions and have been handed over to the police for further investigation.

-Additional arrests involved candidates at various schools, including St. Vincent College and Yeji Senior High School, with some individuals managing to evade capture.

Kapi stated, “We condemn these acts of dishonesty on the part of both teachers and candidates and urge all school heads to uphold the trust placed in them by ensuring that their schools stay above reproach.”

WAEC has announced that it will implement strict measures against any school officials or individuals who compromise the integrity of the examination process.

The council has created a list of schools implicated in irregularities, and the examination scripts from these institutions will be subjected to detailed examination.

In addition to the ongoing inquiries, Kapi discussed the matter of withheld Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results, stating that further evaluations are underway to ascertain the final decisions for candidates suspected of collusion.

The WASSCE-SC, which began on August 5, 2025, is set to conclude on September 19, 2025.

This year, a total of 461,640 candidates, including 207,381 males and 254,259 females from 1,021 schools, are taking part in the examination.

Meanwhile, the BECE assessment occurred from June 11 to June 18, 2025, with 603,328 candidates participating in the exam.

The provisional results for the BECE were published on August 23, 2025.

As investigations into these irregularities progress, WAEC is calling on all stakeholders to collaborate in restoring the integrity of Ghana’s examination system and ensuring a fair environment for all candidates.

The council’s dedication to maintaining examination standards is steadfast, as it aims to cultivate an educational atmosphere grounded in honesty and integrity.

By DeStoryNews