The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has raised alarm over the increasing rate of examination malpractice in this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
The Council has cancelled the entire results of 177 candidates for breaching examination regulations. In total, 895 subject results were cancelled, while 1,333 results have been withheld pending further investigations.
Speaking on The Morning Starr with Naa Dedei Tettey on Starr FM, WAEC’s Head of Public Affairs, John Kapi, said the most common form of malpractice involved the possession of prohibited items—particularly mobile phones.
“At the end of the marking process, we cancelled 718 subject results. Then we had 177 candidates who had their entire results cancelled. About 95% of them had mobile phone infractions,” he revealed.
Kapi added that investigations are ongoing, and a decision on whether the withheld results will be released or cancelled is expected by September 6, 2025.
In response to the revelations, the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) is calling for urgent reforms in how examination-related decisions are made in the country.
The Union has raised concerns about the lack of student representation on key WAEC committees, including the WAEC Awards and Examiners’ Appointment Committee and the Investigative Committee that handles examination malpractice cases.
NUGS argues that the absence of student voices in these critical decision-making processes undermines transparency and accountability.
Story by: Elikplim Awuku
