Illegal students registration: WAEC arrests former headmaster

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) in collaboration with the Kintampo Police Command has arrested a former headmaster, Joseph B. Y. Dery, on charges related to illegal students registration for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) 2024.

The arrest highlights ongoing efforts to combat academic dishonesty and fraud in educational institutions.

Joseph Dery, 52, previously held the position of Assistant Supervisor for the 2019 WASSCE at Centre College in Kintampo, where he later became headmaster.

He currently owns and operates Sprinkles of God SHS, also located in Kintampo.

His arrest stemmed from allegations that he deceitfully lured desperate students and their families into paying for registration services for the WASSCE 2024, which he was unauthorized to conduct.

According to John Kapi, the Head of the Public Relations unit at WAEC, Dery had applied for the official status to register students for the WASSCE 2024 on February 15, 2024, but was denied due to a late application.

Despite this, Dery falsely advertised his facility as a registered centre through various platforms, including social media and banners, misleading many into believing his capability to register students for the exam.

The setup at Dery’s facility was rudimentary at best, equipped with just a Dell laptop, a biometric device, an external hard drive, a modem, and his mobile phone used for taking passport-size photographs against a white cloth background.

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Investigations revealed that although Dery collected fingerprints on the biometric device, he failed to capture necessary images or fingerprints as part of the registration process.

By the time of his arrest, Dery had fraudulently collected between GH¢1,000 to GH¢3,400 from each of the 34 victims, totaling significant amounts of money, as evidenced by receipts found in his possession.

These actions not only constitute a breach of trust but also jeopardize the educational futures of the involved students, underscoring the severity of the offense.

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WAEC and the local authorities continue to investigate the matter, aiming to bring justice to the affected families and uphold the integrity of the educational system.

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