BECE leakage: 4 teachers arrested in A/R

Four teachers have been arrested in the Ashanti region for allegedly printing copies of yet-to-be written papers in the ongoing Basic Education Certificate Examination.

The four are Emmanuel Opoku, 29 , Kwadwo Boateng 25, Kwadwo Danso, 34, and Boateng Collins, 29.

They were arrested in the act at a hideout in Ahenema Kokobeng.

Deputy Ashanti regional Police Commander Chief Inspector Godwin Ahiayor who confirmed the arrest to Starr News’ Isaac Bediako Justice Friday said the suspects were arrested on a tip off.

“The information that we received through a phone call had it that these individuals were in a room printing out some BECE papers.

“So the Police from the Ashanti regional division went in, conducted a search and arrested them.

“Upon a search, the police discovered a printer and a photocopier which belongs to another JHS at Nkoranza. They also retrieved a computer and some disks in the room which apparently belongs to another teacher in the area,” he said.

The arrest brings to 14 the total number of individuals who have been arrested in connection with the leakage of the papers.

The West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) has cancelled five papers of the ongoing BECE throughout Ghana. They are the part 2 of English Language; Religious and Moral Education; Integrated Science; Mathematics, and Social Studies.

The leaked papers have been scheduled to be re-taken on June 29 and 30, 2015, according to a statement by the WAEC.

Meanwhile, the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has called on government to encourage the creation of an alternate examination body to reduce the monopoly the West African Examination Centre (WAEC) enjoys in the country.

They added that “it is clear that whether their services are good or not and whether we like them or not, they are the only one we have. WAEC has become an untouchable bully that pushes bad services down our throat.

“Some pupils, students, teachers and indeed anybody could be culpable for leakages but it is certain that most of the leakages take their source from WAEC itself”.

“It is unfortunate that WAEC staff are highly insulated and hardly suffer any serious penalties from their wrong doings.”