A JoyNews investigation has uncovered that some officials of the Ghana Education Service (GES) allegedly collaborated with invigilators, taking as little as GH¢60 to allow candidates to engage in malpractice during the 2025 Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE).
The revelations form part of the latest JoyNews Hotline documentary, Dark World of BECE, produced by investigative journalist Francisca Enchill of the GH Probe team.
At the Derby Avenue RC Basic School in Accra, investigators found that invigilators were promised GH¢60 daily to turn a blind eye as candidates smuggled mobile phones into examination halls, used artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT, and received solved questions directly from some officials.
The probe also uncovered that at St. George’s Anglican, supervisors distributed envelopes containing GH¢400 to invigilators, while candidates were instructed to make daily payments. By the final paper, invigilators had even introduced an “Aseda Offertory,” where students contributed at least GH¢5 each, with the pooled funds shared among supervisors and invigilators.
John Kapi, Head of Public Affairs at the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), described the practice as illegal, stressing that WAEC does not sanction any payments to supervisors or invigilators during exams.
The investigation further revealed that malpractice was highly coordinated: invigilators dictated answers, circulated written solutions, and ensured evidence was destroyed before candidates left the halls. Supervisors acted as lookouts to prevent detection by WAEC and National Security operatives.
Civil society organisations have raised alarm over the findings. Kofi Asare of Africa Education Watch warned that such practices normalize corruption among children.
“We’re teaching children corruption in basic schools. Corruption 101 begins here. They grow up to normalise it, producing corrupt citizens and professionals,” he said.
Acting Director-General of GES, Prof. Ernest Kofi Davis, vowed that staff implicated in malpractice would face dismissal.
“We cannot work with staff who cheat. Why keep someone who carries questions to students in an exam hall instead of teaching them in class? Nobody wants to be operated on by a doctor who cheated their way through,” he stated.
In 2025 alone, WAEC recorded 43 arrests nationwide linked to examination malpractices, involving teachers, supervisors, and administrators. The Council maintains that with increased resources, it could deploy invigilators with stronger integrity to curb the menace.
The full Dark World of BECE documentary premieres Monday, September 8, 2025, on JoyNews’ AM Show, Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, and Joy Prime’s Prime Morning.
source: myjoyonline
