Curbing exam malpractice imperative for our future
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has sounded a dire warning: examination malpractice in our country has escalated to a level that threatens national security, undermines socioeconomic development and jeopardises the country's future.
This worrying trend is not merely an academic concern; it is a societal crisis that demands immediate and decisive action.
Over the past five years, we have witnessed a staggering increase in examination malpractices.
WAEC reports that subject results withheld surged from 3,235 in 2020 to 522,891 in 2024 — a 16,000 per cent increase.
Similarly, subject results cancelled rose from 10,496 to 38,693 during the same period.
These figures are not just statistics; they represent a systemic failure that compromises the integrity of our educational system and the credibility of our qualifications.
The ramifications of widespread examination malpractice are profound and far-reaching.
When students cheat, they devalue the meritocratic principles that education is built upon.
This erosion of integrity leads to a loss of public trust in educational institutions and qualifications.
Similarly, graduates who have advanced through dishonest means lack the necessary skills and knowledge to perform effectively in the workforce.
This results in decreased productivity and hampers national development.
Again, employers, wary of the credibility of academic qualifications, may be reluctant to hire graduates, leading to higher unemployment rates among the youth.
Also a workforce lacking in competence and innovation stifles economic growth and reduces Ghana's competitiveness in the global market.
Perhaps, the most serious effect of the menace of examination malpractice is that it often benefits those with resources to pay for leaked papers or bribe officials, exacerbating existing social inequalities and disadvantaging honest students.
WAEC's classification of examination malpractice as a national security threat is not hyperbolic.
An education system riddled with dishonesty breeds a culture of corruption that can permeate all sectors of society, including governance, law enforcement and public service.
This culture undermines the rule of law and can lead to instability.
There is trite knowledge that knowing the disease is half the cure, and the Daily Graphic believes that we should as a matter of urgency and national priority address the root causes which include societal pressure that is as a result of the high expectations from parents and communities for academic success, and this has pushed many students to resort to dishonest means to make the grades.
Insufficient monitoring during examinations also creates opportunities for cheating, while technological advancements manifested in the use of mobile devices and social media platforms facilitate the dissemination of leaked examination materials.
Sadly, some teachers and invigilators, who are supposed to know better but driven by financial incentives or other motives, aid students in cheating. But it is not all gloom and doom.
We must collectively as a country work to combat this menace.
The Ministry of Education and WAEC should implement stricter policies, including severe penalties for those caught engaging in cheating.
We acknowledge and commend WAEC for the introduction of serialisation of questions.
But we think that the serialisation of question too should be brought down to the exam centres to make cheating more difficult.
The examination body must also consider increasing the number of trained, independent invigilators to reduce the incidence of malpractice.
The Daily Graphic is also of the conviction that a comprehensive approach combining education with other strategies such as community engagement and incentives can be very effective in altering behaviour, hence our expectation that WAEC will look at effectively using this strategy for parents, students, teachers, invigilators, and the wider Ghanaian society to avoid the consequences of examination malpractice to foster a culture of integrity.
The police and the courts also have a crucial role to play. The swift prosecution of offenders, including those operating rogue websites that leak examination papers, will serve as a deterrent.
We must all see examination malpractice as a canker that threatens the very fabric of our society. Its eradication requires collective effort, unwavering commitment and immediate action.
We must thus implement stringent measures to foster a culture of honesty and integrity to safeguard our educational system to ensure socioeconomic development, and secure a prosperous future for our citizens.
