Cheating in WAEC-administered examinations at the school level has become a common practice, with schools leading the charge and devising their own plans to engage in all forms of examination malpractice. To stop such acts from being successful, the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has initiated proactive plans to catch schools and expose them to the public ahead of the 2025 BECE and WASSCE.
The move by WAEC is expected to expose all pre-planned school cheating strategies ahead of the 2025 BECE and WASSCE.
While the 2025 BECE will be written in less than two months from now, the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) will be administered in about three months’ time.
WAEC is worried about the increase in school-level cheating in its examinations. The strategies put in place by schools that engage in examination malpractices have become sophisticated, according to WAEC.
This has compelled WAEC to intensify its efforts in the face of the growing use of technology for cheating in its examinations. This school-level exam cheating at the BECE and WASSCE undermines the integrity of these two examinations.
What are some of the pre-planned school cheating methods expected in the 2025 BECE and WASSCE?
Entire schools are planning, strategising, and even practicing their premeditated cheating strategies.
Such schools put in place very sophisticated cheating plans that involve compromising examination invigilators and other officials.
It involves collusion between students, school administrators, and even individuals in trusted positions within the education system, according to WAEC.
At the BECE, for instance, sometimes, public and private schools meet before the BECE in respective centres and agree on how much to contribute to take care of the feeding and transportation needs of invigilators and other WAEC officials. Such funds are often paid by private schools with the hope of officers of WAEC being lenient in the conduct of the examination. If they succeed, the funds made available to such officers lead to all forms of cheating.
WAEC’s pre exam stakeholder support and effort needed to stop mass cheating
To help stop school-level mass cheating, WAEC has organised a high-level stakeholder engagement to help put together future-ready strategies that will help stop such forms of examination malpractice. Education authorities, school leaders, security officials, and technology experts were invited to the meeting to discuss the plans to curb exam malpractice.
“Examination malpractice, as we speak, is on the rise,” said John Kapi, WAEC’s Head of Public Affairs. “Coupled with this era of ICT, it may be difficult to fight. We have fought it. If we had left it, it would have gotten out of hand. It hasn’t gotten out of hand, but we don’t wait for it to get out of hand.”
According to Mr. Kapi, WAEC needs proactive and collective measures to help uphold the standard and integrity of the examinations it conducts. “That’s why we called for this stakeholder engagement — to tap into the expertise and experiences of all of us in education,” he added during the engagement with stakeholders.
He called on all to come on board to help protect the credibility of its examinations. With the 2025 BECE and WASSCE around the corner, WAEC’s efforts towards dealing with school-level mass cheating in its examinations serve as a stern warning to all stakeholders as WAEC steps up its unwavering vigilance, innovation, and united action to fight cheating of all forms at all levels.
Advise to candidates and schools
The best way to pass the BECE and WASSCE is to diligently teach students as teachers. Learners are advised to work hard towards the examination and study by covering all topics, practicing sample questions, and doing their very best in the examination hall.
Schools must not prepare their candidates for the exam only to turn around and teach these learners how to cheat in the examination.
Parents should educate and advise their learners to study well and avoid all forms of examination malpractices.
Recommended reads for you
- Types of BECE or JECE Answers Errors That Lead to Failure
- WAEC and NECO to go full Computer-Based Testing (CBT) in 2026
- 2025 BECE Final Social Studies Projected Topics To Watch
- 2025 WASSCE Biology Practical Specimen & Projected Practicals
- WAEC Grading System and Interpretation For WASSCE
- Top Ten Examination Tips for WASSCE and BECE Candidates
Source: WAEC EXAM TIPS