Eduwatch Observes “Disturbing” Surge In BECE Malpractices
Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch) has reported a “disturbing” surge in the cases of Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) malpractices in the past four years.
From its observation, the country is witnessing the highest in nearly a decade.
The report followed the release of the 2025 BECE results with 718 cancelled subject results, 177 cancelled entire results, 1,240 withheld subject results, and 93 withheld entire results.
In its analysis, it said, “Between 2022 and 2024, result cancellations, though worrying, showed a generally declining pattern, falling from 489 affected candidates in 2022 to 418 in 2024. In 2025, however, cancellations more than doubled to 895, signalling a sharp reversal.
“A similar and even more alarming trend is observed in withheld results, which spiked from 49 affected candidates in 2022 to 1,333 in 2025. Notably, while candidate numbers grew by only 5% between 2024 and 2025, cancellations rose by over 100 per cent, and withheld results by almost 3,900 per cent.”
In its interpretation, it said previous control measures briefly curbed malpractice after 2023, but systemic weaknesses allowed cases to rebound sharply, while WAEC may have enhanced its efficiency in detecting malpractice.
As part of its recommendations, Eduwatch called for sustained enforcement, combined with school-level accountability (both private and public), to be essential to curb the trend; and intensified collaboration to enforce exam protocols and accountability of school heads to exam malpractice, if Ghana is to avoid a repeat of this worrying picture in the 2025 WASSCE.
It also called for the sanctioning of GES staff, private school staff, WAEC officials or agents, security officials whose commission or omission may have contributed to the malpractice.
Source: https://opemsuo.com/author/hajara-fuseini/
