Let’s protect the integrity of BECE, WASSCE
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has taken a firm stance against examination malpractice in the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for School Candidates by backing the Ghana Education Service (GES) to dismiss any examination official found to have engaged in malpractices.
The Head of the National Office of WAEC, Dr Rosemond Wilson, has emphasised that the council would not tolerate any form of examination malpractice and would take serious measures against those who would flout examination rules and regulations.
Her stance is a welcome development, and it is hoped that it will serve as a deterrent to would-be offenders.
During a recent tour of some WASSCE-SC centres in Accra, Dr Wilson observed the conduct of the Social Studies examination, the first core paper in the 2025 WASSCE for School Candidates (SC).
She visited the Armed Forces Senior High Technical School Centre, the Sakyi Asare-Menako Hall, and Accra High School, both in the Greater Accra Region, where she interacted with candidates and examination officials.
At the Armed Forces Senior High Technical School Centre, an invigilator was found in possession of a mobile phone, which had questions from the Picture Making and Oral English papers that were written earlier.
The incident highlights the need for strict adherence to examination rules and regulations.
WAEC's commitment to maintaining the integrity of the examination process is commendable.
The council has reiterated that any supervisor or invigilator caught engaging in examination malpractice will be dismissed.
This stance is in line with the council's efforts to crack down on examination malpractice and reduce it to the barest minimum.
The importance of maintaining the integrity of the examination process cannot be overstated. Examination malpractice undermines the validity and reliability of examination results, and it can have serious consequences for candidates and the education system as a whole.
WASSCE is a critical milestone in the academic journey of students in West Africa.
The examination is a standardised assessment that evaluates students' knowledge, skills and competencies in various subjects.
Maintaining the integrity and validity of the WASSCE is essential to ensure that the examination results accurately reflect students' abilities and provide a fair and reliable measure of their academic achievement.
Maintaining the integrity and validity of the WASSCE is important for several reasons.
First, it ensures that students are assessed fairly and that their results accurately reflect their abilities.
Second, it provides a reliable measure of students' academic achievement, which can be used to inform decisions about their future academic or career paths.
Third, it helps to maintain the credibility of the examination system and ensures that the results are recognised and respected by institutions of higher learning and employers.
In addition to WAEC's efforts, all education stakeholders must play a role in combating examination malpractice.
Teachers, parents, and the candidates themselves must understand the importance of maintaining the integrity of the examination process and take steps to prevent malpractice.
The success of WAEC's work will depend on the level of cooperation and support it receives from all stakeholders.
We urge the GES, teachers, parents and candidates to work together with WAEC to maintain the integrity of the examination process.
By doing so, we can ensure that the examination process is fair, transparent and credible, and that the results accurately reflect the abilities of the candidates.
WAEC's position against examination malpractice is encouraging.
The council's commitment to maintaining the integrity of the examination process is crucial in ensuring the credibility of examination results.
The Daily Graphic commends WAEC's efforts and urges all education stakeholders to play a role in combating examination malpractice.
Together, we can ensure that the examination process is fair, transparent and credible.
As the examination season comes to a close, we hope that WAEC's efforts will yield positive results.
The council's commitment to combating examination malpractice is a step in the right direction, and we look forward to seeing the impact of its efforts on the education system.
With continuous vigilance and cooperation, we can maintain the integrity of the examination process and ensure that it serves the needs of all stakeholders.
