A-three year comparative statistics of incidence of examination malpractice in the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) has shown an alarming increasing trend.
The sad occurrence has given players in the education sector a cause to worry about the future if no pragmatic and concerted efforts are not taken.
At a seminar held on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, a research conducted by West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) on Intervention to Curb Examination Malpractice in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination in Ghana, Awareness, Implementation and Effectiveness has painted a glomming picture of Ghanaian students if the menace is not knit in the bud.
29,291 candidates out of 419,151 candidates who took the examinations were involved in examinations malpractice while 10,386 candidates were involved in malpractices, a matter that is giving players in the education sector a cause to worry.
The research identified Bono, Bono East and Ahafo which recorded 18,504 malpractices in 2023, 18,346 in 2022 and 2023 in 2021.
Ashanti recorded 17,663, 4097 and 4630 in same years.
4105, 4826 and 495 were recorded for the same period in the central region.
In the Eastern Region, 1614, 685 and 1420 were recorded during the same period.
The research cautioned that the purpose of examinations may be derailed while the spirit of hardwork may be killed as well as there will be low productivity due to lack of competences while certificates will not reflect graduates’s abilities.
To address the canker, the research proposes strict adherence to strongroom dress code, prohibition of papers, money at press houses, use of combination of padlocks and keeping question papers only in WAEC depots amongst others.
During the examinations, the research proposes strict searching of candidates, regular inspection of examinations centres by officials amongst others were some of the proposals by the research.
The seminar which was attended by almost everyone that matter in the education sector including heads of schools, teachers and some students from Accra Academy and Wesley Girls.
