Students found cheating in WASSCE could be jailed 15 years – GES

Final-year Senior High School (SHS) students caught cheating in the ongoing 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) could face 12 to 15 years in jail, a spokesperson for the Ghana Education Service (GES) in the Bono region, Nana Kumi Agyemang, has said.

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, the Dormaa Central Municipal Public Relations Officer of the GES in the Bono Region said the entire results of offenders could also be cancelled or withheld.

“The candidates are also under strict supervision to prevent the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the examination,” the GES spokesman stated, adding that the examination was progressing steadily without challenges.

He said the police had also been engaged, supporting maintenance of law and order, adding that the education directorate had banned the use of mobile phones at the centres with invigilators and supervisors enforcing the ban.

Relatedly, the Ministry of Education (MoE) has said that teachers tasked as invigilators for the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for School who will be found guilty of aiding examination malpractice will be dismissed from the service and also face a jail term.

In a statement sighted by Pretertiary.com, the Education Ministry said teaching and non-teaching staff of the Ghana Education Service (GES) caught aiding or abetting examination malpractice will face severe punishment.

The Ministry of Education (MoE) in the statement signed by Deputy Minister of Education, Dr Clement Abas Apaak, said it will not shield anyone who engages in any attempt to aid or abet any examination irregularity.

“We also urge all personnel to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity before, during, or after examinations. Protecting the fairness of the examination process is a collective responsibility of all.

We expect all stakeholders to work together to maintain a culture of integrity and to ensure that students succeed based on merit.

The Ministry of Education will not shield anyone who engages in any attempt to aid or abet any examination irregularity,” the Education Ministry (MoE) statement dated August 5, 2025, noted.

The Ministry also said it is working in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service, the West African Examinations Council, and other security agencies to ensure no form of cheating and leakage in the examination.

“The Ministry of Education, working in close collaboration with the Ghana Education Service (GES), the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), and the security agencies, will not tolerate any form of cheating, leakage, or compromise in this year’s WASSCE.

Staff members found guilty of aiding or abetting examination malpractice will face strict disciplinary action, including dismissal and possible jail term. The integrity of our examinations is non-negotiable, and all teaching and non-teaching staff are expected to uphold the highest standards of honesty, integrity, and accountability,” it stated.

This year, a total of 461,640 candidates, made up of 207,381 male candidates and 254,259 female candidates across the country, are expected to sit for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for School.

The 2025 West African Senior School Examination Certificate (WASSCE) for School commenced with practical examinations. The written papers will begin on August 20, 2025 and end on September 19, 2025.

In all, 65 subjects will be taken by candidates, but each candidate will take an average of eight subjects. The 2025 WASSCE for School examination will be conducted in about 701 examination centres across the country.