The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has confirmed that authorities have arrested five people for cheating in the ongoing Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) across Ghana.
The Head of Public Affairs at WAEC, John Kapi, said officials picked up the suspects for different forms of malpractice. He explained that investigators are still working on the cases, so the council has not yet released full details.
“There have been some incidents so far. About four or five people have been picked up already,” he said, adding that the names and specifics will be made public after investigations.
Mr Kapi admitted that malpractice continues despite tighter supervision. He said the council has introduced new steps to deal with the problem and protect the integrity of the exams.
WAEC has organised detailed briefing sessions for officials at all levels, including district directors, supervisors, and invigilators.
These sessions focus on the importance of honesty and the consequences of breaking examination rules.
The council is also involving the wider community in the fight against cheating. It has reached out to education directors, traditional leaders, politicians, and opinion leaders to help discourage the practice.
Mr Kapi stressed the seriousness of the issue, saying, “Examination malpractice is inimical to our development and the future of education in this country”.
To strengthen monitoring, WAEC has increased the number of personnel on the ground. It has deployed staff from its headquarters in Accra as well as from regional offices to supervise the process more closely.
“We are putting more people in the field to ‘watch the watchmen’ and ensure these incidents are reduced to the barest minimum,” he added.
