WASSCE: Apaak reiterates tough penalties for anyone caught aiding or abetting exam malpractices

Deputy Education Minister Dr. Clement Abas Apaak has warned that anyone caught aiding or engaging in examination malpractice will face strict sanctions without intervention.

Speaking during a tour of Senior High Schools in the Ashanti Region, where students are writing the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), Dr. Apaak stressed that malpractice undermines education and Ghana’s global reputation.

“Examination malpractices, in other words, cheating, are detrimental to our education and to the well-being of students. There shouldn’t be any reason why anyone should condone that. So we condemn exam malpractices wherever they may occur and in whatever form or shape they may take,” he said.

Dr. Apaak explained that clear warnings had already been issued to all stakeholders.

“Before the commencement of WASSCE, I issued a statement at the behest of the Minister, warning invigilators, supervisors, teachers, non-teaching staff, and even WAEC officials of the serious consequences they would face if caught abetting and aiding examination malpractices,” he stated.

According to him, no official of the Ghana Education Service found culpable will be shielded.

“We have empowered the Director General of GES, and with the support of the GES Council, any staff of the Ghana Education Service, teaching or non-teaching, caught abetting and aiding exam malpractices will be held accountable. For those who have already been apprehended, I’m sorry to say, but nobody is going to intervene or cover up,” Dr. Apaak cautioned.

He further stressed that exam cheating damages the values of honesty and hard work among students.

“We are teaching these young boys and girls dishonesty. We are telling them that hard work doesn’t pay, and that is a danger to the well-being of this republic,” he warned.

Beyond domestic implications, Dr. Apaak pointed out that malpractice threatens the credibility of Ghana’s educational credentials abroad.

“We are also devaluing the certificates that are going to be awarded by WAEC, and that has implications not just for us as a nation but even our global and international reputation. Other nations are watching. The global community is watching,” he said.

He added that the government is committed to bringing sanity to the system as part of President John Dramani Mahama’s reset agenda.