Help us fight alarming examination malpractice rates — WAEC calls on stakeholders

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has expressed alarm over the rising prevalence of exam malpractice in the nation and has called on all parties involved to work together to combat the serious threat.

The Council's examinations' credibility is under risk if quick action is not taken to stop the threat, WAEC said in a statement released on Friday, February 7, calling the situation "alarming."

The Council made a plea to the public, media, educators, parents, and guardians to back initiatives that protect the country's exam integrity.

“This fight against malpractice is a collective one,” WAEC stated. “Parents, guardians, the media, and indeed all stakeholders should speak out boldly against this menace to ensure that certificates are awarded to deserving candidates.”

The Council cited some of the malpractices observed during the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), such as the use of foreign materials, the possession of mobile phones, and widespread cheating.

WAEC confirmed that some of these cases contained criminal aspects and were reported to the police, while others were handled internally.

WAEC implemented a number of disciplinary steps to defend the exam's integrity including the cancellation of subject results for 4,108 applicants caught with illicit materials, as well as the annulment of overall results for 483 students who carried mobile phones into the exam venues.

Meanwhile, WAEC urged candidates and their families to cooperate with its procedures, pledging that all cases under investigation would be handled and the results released by February 28.