The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has identified a concerning new trend in examination malpractice, where candidates are attempting to influence their results by concealing money and contact numbers within their answer booklets.

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According to WAEC's Head of Corporate Affairs, John Kapi, instances have been reported where candidates write phrases like "help me," "call me," or "just call my mom," alongside GHC50 or more, hoping to appeal to examiners.The incidence of such malpractice has shown a troubling increase from 2% in 2021 to 10% in 2023, prompting calls for a review of existing sanctions by WAEC's Head of Legal Affairs, Rev. Victor Brew.

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Brew emphasized the need for more substantial penalties to deter future infractions, noting that current fines of GHC1,200 to GHC3,000 may not be sufficient.To combat these illegal activities, WAEC has enlisted support from the Ghana Education Service, GNAT, Ghana Police Service, National Security, National Intelligence Bureau, and external monitoring agents to oversee examinations rigorously.

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So far, WAEC has reported 19 cases of malpractice, with 4 resulting in convictions and investigations ongoing for the rest.Looking ahead, the BECE exams are set to commence on July 8, expecting participation from 569,095 students, underscoring the need for stringent measures to maintain exam integrity.”The current penalty points in the law translates into a fine of between GHC1,200 to GHC3,000, which is not deterrent enough.

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If we can have a change in it to an amount that is hefty, then we can make some head way and deter others,” he added.

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