WAEC arrests three for exams malpractice

Accra, April 23, GNA - The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) on Thursday arrested three persons for engaging in examination malpractices in connection with the ongoing Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) at two centres in Accra.

The three, who were being held at the Council's police station in Accra, are Wisdom Kwame Kokroko 61, Supervisor of the Fadama Exams Centre (A), Musah Bukari 26, a mathematics teacher and Donabel Gabada 27, a social studies teacher both of Kings and Queens School which is undertaking its exams at Roman Catholic School Exams Centre at Abeka Lapaz in Accra.


Mr Frederick Selby, Director of Legal Services of WAEC who briefed the press about the incident in Accra said an informant alerted the Council about the malpractice earlier in the day.


Mr Selby said he immediately rushed to the Fadama Centre (A) where he discovered that the Supervisor opened the question (B) papers ahead of time flouting the Council's regulations.


He said that one of the packs which usually contained 50 question papers of the question (B) papers opened by the Supervisor (Mr Wisdom Kwame Kokroko), had three of the question papers missing and that the Supervisor could not account for them and did not also give any tangible reason for their non-availability.

He said he discovered that photocopies of the question papers were made at a nearby photocopying centre and distributed among some teachers to use to teach their candidates and that he could not effect arrest there because the police were not with him even though he found the papers in the pockets of some of them.


Mr Selby said the informant again alerted him that the malpractice was also taking place at Roman Catholic School Exams Centre at Abeka Lapaz where he again quickly moved in for checks.


He said to his shock, he saw candidates in groups being taught by their respective teachers who were possessing photocopies of the WAEC copies of the question (B) papers to be taken on that day (Thursday). He said police from the Council who were following him arrested two teachers and he quickly ordered the candidates to enter their respective exams halls to prevent further interaction with teachers at the centre. He said the incident took place during the 45-minute break period which was usually observed between the objective and the subjective papers.


Mr Selby said the Council would sit to decide which action to take against the affected schools and centres where the incident happened and cautioned supervisors, schools and candidates to desist from engaging in malpractices.