Seven invigilators have been arrested for engaging in examination malpractice on the first day of the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has confirmed.
According to WAEC’s Head of Public Affairs, John Kapi, the incidents were recorded across three regions—Central, Bono, and Ashanti—raising fresh concerns about the persistent challenge of exam misconduct.
Speaking in an interview with 3news on May 4, Mr. Kapi revealed that the cases involved both the use of unauthorized mobile phones and attempts to assist candidates with prepared answers.
“We’ve recorded about seven cases of examination malpractice—three from the Central Region, two from Bono, and two from Ashanti,” he said. “Five of them were related to mobile phone infractions, while two involved invigilators who had prepared answers they intended to distribute to candidates in the examination halls.”
He further clarified that not all those involved were actively supervising at the time of the offences. “Three of them were not actively invigilating, but the other four were part of the invigilation team,” he added.
Mr. Kapi expressed concern over the continued involvement of teachers and exam officials in malpractice, despite repeated warnings and stakeholder engagements by WAEC and other authorities.
“It is quite baffling,” he noted. “There have been several appeals. WAEC has engaged teachers, chiefs, security personnel, PTAs, and parents. The Director-General has been very clear about the sanctions, and even the Minister of Education has strongly condemned such practices. Yet, some individuals still choose to engage in them.”
Despite the incidents, WAEC says the overall conduct of the examination on day one was largely smooth, with no candidate reportedly denied the opportunity to sit for the papers.
However, Mr. Kapi acknowledged logistical challenges, particularly delays in the distribution of examination materials in parts of the Western Region.
“One of the major issues we encountered was the late arrival of examination materials at some centres this morning,” he explained. “But these are challenges we expect to address as the exams continue in the coming days.”
WAEC has reiterated its commitment to ensuring the integrity of the examination process and warned that strict sanctions will be applied to anyone found guilty of malpractice.
