Exam malpractice threat to WAEC certificate credibility – EduWatch
Africa Education Watch (EduWatch) says the surge in examination malpractice cases recorded during the conduct of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination poses a threat to the WASSCE certificate’s credibility.
In a blog post sighted by Pretertiary.com, the Executive Director of EduWatch, Kofi Asare said the raw count of candidates involved in examination malpractice in this year’s WASSCE points to about 72,000 for Core Math and over 80,000 for Integrated Science alone.
“This is the worst provisional report on examination malpractice and exam fraud in decades, surpassing last year’s unprecedented malpractice record of 10%,” the Director of the Education Watch said in a blog post on his website.
Kofi Asare added “This dim picture even excludes the experienced WASSCE tourism schools who hardly get caught due to their strong financial muscles, high levels of influence and sophistry in exam fraud.
No one is shutting them down even amid incontrovertible evidence, including undercover video adduced by Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch) and CDD’s Corruption Watch.
If the next administration does not support WAEC to stamp out examination room collusion by outrightly dismissing culpable teachers, closing down WASSCE tourism schools and installing CCTV in all examination centres, the WASSCE certificate may soon become mere paper.”
EduWatch’s concerns come after the West African Examinations Council citing various forms of malpractice said it has cancelled the results of 4,591 candidates who sat for the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
Among the affected candidates, 4,108 had their subject results cancelled for bringing unauthorised materials into the exam hall, while 483 lost their entire results for using mobile phones during the 2024 WASSCE for School.
Additionally, the management of the not-for-money-making organization (WAEC) indicated it had withheld the results of 990 candidates, 781 for specific subjects and 209 for their entire results pending further investigations.
In a statement sighted by Pretertiary.com after the 2024 WASSCE for School results on Monday, December 30, 2024, the African Examinations Council said allegations of collusion involving 319 second-cycle schools are also under review.
A total number of 460,611 candidates comprised 212,954 males and 247,657 females from 1003 second cycle schools across the country sat for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for School.
This year, overall participation in the WASSCE rose by 2.66%, with 460,611 candidates sitting the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for School compared to 448,856 in 2023.
Out of the total candidates, 247,657 were female, outnumbering the 212,954 males. Approximately 1% of registered candidates (4,609) were absent, which has raised concern among parents and heads of second-cycle schools.
