Exam Malpractice Now a National Security Threat – Waec

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has raised serious alarm over rising cases of exam malpractice in Ghana, saying it now threatens national security.

At a stakeholders’ meeting in Cape Coast, WAEC’s Head of Humanities, Daniel Nii Dodoo, said the cheating is no longer limited to a few students, but in many cases, involves entire schools and even some trusted stakeholders like teachers and school authorities. He warned that this trend puts the credibility of the education system at risk and could damage the country’s development and stability.

“This issue goes beyond education. It weakens our nation, threatens development, and puts our democracy at risk,” he said.

Mr. Dodoo revealed that despite stronger security measures, the problem has gotten worse. In 2023, WAEC withheld over 587,000 subject results and cancelled more than 59,000 results due to cheating. In 2022, over 382,000 results were flagged for irregularities.

“These figures show how badly academic honesty is being destroyed,” he added.

He explained that exam fraud leads to bigger national problems:

• Unqualified people graduating and entering key jobs
• Public institutions filled with underperformers
• Youth frustration, which can increase crime or extremism
• Loss of trust in the system, including in governance

He also warned that Ghana’s international image is at stake. Continued cheating could scare away foreign investors and partners in education.

WAEC staff, according to Mr. Dodoo, are even facing threats and intimidation, making it harder to do their jobs.

“This is now organised crime,” he stressed. “It involves networks, bribery, and intimidation. It must be treated like any other serious crime.”

Mr. Dodoo said WAEC alone cannot stop the problem and called for help from everyone—government, parents, schools, religious and traditional leaders, teacher unions, the media, and especially students.

Key suggestions he made included:

• Strengthening laws and making penalties stricter
• Teaching ethics early in schools
• Using technology like biometric verification