The Ministry of Education has warned stakeholders in the ongoing 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), following reports of examination malpractice on the very first day.
In a press release dated May 6, the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, cautioned candidates, teachers, invigilators and school authorities against engaging in any form of cheating, stressing that offenders will face severe consequences.
The warning comes after the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) recorded “seven (7) examination malpractice cases involving teachers and invigilators across Central, Bono, and Ashanti Regions on the first day.”
The Education Ministry described the development as worrying and reiterated its resolve to clamp down on offenders.
“We are of the firm conviction that any individual complicit in examination malpractice is an enemy of the state and would be dealt with ruthlessly,” the statement emphasised.
According to the Education Ministry, candidates caught cheating, whether through possession of unauthorized materials, collusion, or external assistance, risk having their results cancelled.
It further warned that teachers and exam officials who aid malpractice will face “severe consequences, including dismissal, interdiction, and possible prosecution,” adding that “professional misconduct during national examinations will not be excused.”
The Education Ministry also referenced last year’s crackdown to reinforce its stance, revealing that “of the forty (40) persons caught involved in facilitating cheating last year, eight (8) have been convicted and sentenced, and thirty-two (32) are still being processed.”
It added that the eight convicted individuals “have automatically lost their jobs” and will be removed from the payroll of the Ghana Education Service.
The statement, signed by Deputy Minister for Education, Clement Abas Apaak, disclosed that the Ministry, in collaboration with the GES, WAEC and security agencies, has deployed strict monitoring systems across all 2,303 examination centres nationwide.
“Our resolve to boldly address the dangerous phenomenon of examination malpractice is an affirmation of the government’s firm commitment to protecting the integrity of national examinations,” it said.
The Ministry warned that “any attempt to compromise the integrity of the 2026 BECE will attract immediate and severe sanctions,” while wishing candidates success as the exams continue until May 11.
