The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has announced that officials implicated in acts of corruption during the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) will be blacklisted and barred from ever taking part in the Council’s activities again.
Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express on September 8, WAEC’s Director of Public Affairs, John Kapi, emphasized that the Council cannot continue to work with individuals who have betrayed the trust placed in them during national examinations.
“These are people who certainly have not proved that they are worthy of the trust that we repose in them,” he stated.
Mr. Kapi explained that while WAEC plays a supervisory role, many of the operational decisions, including the selection of invigilators and supervisors, fall under the Ghana Education Service (GES) through district exam officers.
His comments followed a JoyNews Hotline Investigation led by Francisca Enchil of GH Probe, which uncovered shocking levels of malpractice and collusion at some examination centres. At the Derby Avenue RC Basic School and St. George’s Anglican Basic School in Accra, investigators captured invigilators openly demanding GH¢60 daily “tokens,” supervisors pocketing envelopes of GH¢400, and candidates being asked to contribute to an “Aseda Offertory.”
Mr. Kapi stressed that once WAEC identifies and reports such incidents, it is the responsibility of the GES to take firm disciplinary action.
“And so when these issues come up, once the feedback goes to them, we [WAEC] expect that they would react appropriately and ensure that the right action is taken against the people,” he said.
When pressed by host Evans Mensah on how WAEC personally deals with compromised officials, the Public Affairs Director was unequivocal.
“Yes, that is what we really do. We blacklist them. They no longer take part in any activity that has to do with the West African Examinations Council.”
The revelations have sparked fresh debate about the integrity of Ghana’s examination system, with many calling for stronger oversight, stricter penalties, and greater transparency in the conduct of national exams.
For WAEC, the decision to blacklist corrupt officials is a step toward restoring public confidence in the fairness and credibility of examinations across the subregion.
