EduWatch Calls for Swift Prosecution of 2023 WASSCE Misconduct Cases

Africa Education Watch (EduWatch), an education-focused think tank, has called on the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to expedite the prosecution of candidates who engaged in misconduct during the 2023 West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE).

This call comes in response to security breaches that occurred during the examinations, including the circulation of exam questions on social media before the scheduled time.

In a statement issued on Monday, EduWatch acknowledged the partnership between the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) and WAEC, which aimed to enhance the security of the WASSCE questions.

However, despite these efforts, security breaches still occurred, leading to concerns about the integrity of the exams.

EduWatch emphasized the need for swift investigations and the public release of outcomes in cases where candidates were arrested for misconduct. The organization believes that transparent and expedited prosecutions will serve as a deterrent to future exam malpractice.

Furthermore, EduWatch called for sanctions against school heads and owners who were cited by WAEC for preventing monitors from entering examination centers in real time.

The Ghana Education Service (GES) and the National Schools Inspectorate Authority are urged to oversee these sanctions and publish the outcomes, ensuring accountability in the education system.

EduWatch also stressed the importance of adequately resourcing WAEC to recruit non-GES external supervisors for every examination center during each paper. This move is seen as essential for maintaining the integrity of the examination process.

In a bold statement, EduWatch recommended that the GES escalate the sanctions regime to include the outright dismissal of teachers who engage in misconduct during exams.

Such a step, the organization believes, would send a strong ethical message against participation in examination malpractices and fraud.

Finally, EduWatch urged the government to amend the WAEC Law, citing its outdated sanctions regime. The organization pointed out that the nature of examination malpractice has evolved over time, rendering the existing legal framework inadequate.

EduWatch called on the Ministry of Education to prioritize the amendment of the WAEC Law to ensure a credible examination system in Ghana.

As concerns about exam security and misconduct persist, EduWatch’s recommendations aim to strengthen the education system and uphold the integrity of examinations in Ghana.