BECE malpractices crackdown: WAEC arrests 16, including 12 invigilators

Mr John Kapi, the Head of Public Affairs at the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), has disclosed that the number of individuals arrested for examination malpractice during the ongoing 2025 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) has increase to 16.

During in an interview on Channel One on Thursday, 13 June, Mr Kapi revealed that those arrested include 12 invigilators, one supervisor, and three individuals not linked to the examination process. Mr John Kapi stated that “As of this morning, from my monitoring, we’ve hit 16 so far — 12 invigilators, one supervisor and three individuals who were not directly connected to the examination.”

He noted that the two individuals who are not linked to the examination process were caught trying to solve questions outside the exam hall and distribute the answers to other candidates.  One of them, who called herself a fashion designer, was caught with photocopied solutions meant for circulation at a centre before she was arrested.

Mr Kapi also reported a case of assault on a West African Examinationa Council (WAEC) monitor in one of the regions and raised concerns over various non compliance with exam policies. Mr John Kapi highlighted that “In some instances, invigilators were dictating answers to candidates in the hall. We have also had cases where invigilators took snapshots of question papers and circulated them on social media platforms.” Mr John Kapi stated that on Wednesday alone, three invigilators were arrested for taking pictures of question papers during the exams.

WAEC has reiterated its dedication to upholding the integrity of the BECE and warned that all persons found culpable will face the full rigours of the law. Those apprehended would be taken through the rules and regulations of the examination and then reported to the GES as well.

Dr Wilson also advised candidates to comply to the rules and regulations of the examination and not engage in any form of cheating since the questions were not beyond their reach as they were based on what they were taught in the syllabus.

Dr Wilson said “Normally, we brief the supervisors, and then we expect them to give the invigilators the necessary briefing that we have given to them. So we will entreat the supervisors to do their work and do it well so that the exam can be written in a good atmosphere and with the correct arrangements.”

Giving updates while making her way around , Dr Wilson said  “The exam is being conducted in a very good atmosphere. The students are relaxed and I could see that some of them have learnt and were answering the questions and the atmosphere too was relaxed”.

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