The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has expressed worry over the number of impersonation cases in the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates.
As of today, 23 suspected impersonation cases from schools have been reported to the Police.
The schools involved are Prince Boateng SHS, Nsawam recorded 15 cases, Vicar Trust SHS, Kasoa, three cases, St Hon SHS, Asante Bekwai, had two cases, Winners SHS, Nkawkaw, Sunyani Business College, Mococo SHS, Nkawkaw, recorded a case each.
Speaking at a Press Conference in Accra on the second update of the WAEC on the conduct 2022 WASSCE, Mrs Agnes Teye -Cudjoe, Head of Public of Affairs, WAEC National Office, said the phenomenon was on the increase.
Mrs Teye-Cudjoe also recounted how one of the Council’s commissioned Monitoring Agents was assaulted by a gang of five on September 12, this year at Santa Maria after monitoring.
According to her, the agent was severely beaten, and he had his mobile phone and spectacles damaged.
She said the council had reported the matter to the Police at Anyaa and the matter was under investigation.
On syndicated cheating in schools, Mrs Teye-Cudjoe said WAEC had several cases in seven schools.
According to her, “the practice involves the collection of monies from candidates by teachers and execution of pre-arranged plans by these same persons who assist candidates to cheat by solving questions and distributing photocopied / printed solutions to the candidates.”
She mentioned schools such as Asawinso SHS, Action, Madina SHS, Juaben SHS, Aduman SHS, Sunyani Business College, Oxford Business SHS, Sunyani and Miracle SHS, Sunyani.
The Head of Public Affairs, WAEC National head office said the Council has also observed that some persons snapped some papers during examination and forwarded same to some Telegram Channels.
She explained that Graphic Design Paper 2 was tracked to Sandema SHS, and “the candidate has been arrested and processed for court.”
Additionally, she said Management in Living papers was also tracked to Catabb SHS, Kumasi, adding that investigations were ongoing to arrest the perpetrator.
Mathematics (Core) 2 was also tracked to Toase SHS, according to her.
On the smuggling of mobile phones into examinations hall by candidates and some invigilators, Mrs Teye-Cudjoe said during Government 2 and 1 paper, an invigilator was caught with a mobile phone assisting a candidate at Ideal College, Kasoa.
“In Asawinso SHS, another invigilator took snapshots of Social Studies Paper 2 and forwarded same to his contractor at Sefwi Bekwai via WhatsApp,” she added.
Mrs Teye-Cudjoe said WAEC had sent Caution letters to 34 schools following tip-offs and reports from Intelligence sources about schemes from those schools to ensure that their candidate did not cheat during the ongoing WASSCE.
She mentioned the schemes as payment of money by candidates to teachers/ school authorities ostensibly to induce supervisors and invigilators to compromise and predetermined arrangements to have subject tutors solve questions and distribute answers in various forms to candidates.
Mrs Teye-Cudjoe commended stakeholders for safeguarding the integrity of examinations.
