By Collins Sarkodieh 
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has arrested 19 supervisors and invigilators across six regions for alleged involvement in examination malpractice during the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). This coordinated enforcement effort spans the Ashanti, Eastern, Bono, Central, Greater Accra, and Western regions, signaling a zero-tolerance policy toward academic dishonesty.
Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu and the Ministry of Education have labeled those complicit in cheating as “enemies of the state.” Already, two officials in the Bono Region have been prosecuted and fined GH¢2,400 each, while the remaining 17 suspects are currently in police custody being processed for court. This crackdown is part of a broader government commitment to protecting the integrity of national certifications and ensuring a level playing field for all candidates.
The 2026 BECE is being monitored at 2,303 centers nationwide. With 40 individuals caught in similar schemes last year eight of whom have already lost their jobs and faced conviction the government is making it clear that professional misconduct will result in immediate interdiction, dismissal, and possible imprisonment.
Which regions recorded the highest number of arrests for BECE malpractice?
The Ashanti Region recorded the highest number of arrests, with 10 supervisors and invigilators picked up by WAEC officials. Other regions affected include the Eastern Region with three arrests, the Bono and Central regions with two each, and single arrests in both Greater Accra and the Western Region.
This geographic spread suggests that malpractice is not isolated to one area but is a “dangerous phenomenon” that the Ministry of Education is fighting on multiple fronts. The heavy concentration in the Ashanti Region has prompted intensified monitoring in that zone to ensure the remainder of the examination period remains untainted.
By naming the regions and the specific number of officials involved, WAEC is providing transparency to the public. This data-driven approach helps identify “hotspots” where invigilator training and security protocols may need to be overhauled in future examination cycles.
What are the legal consequences for teachers and invigilators caught cheating?
Officials caught aiding or abetting examination malpractice face severe legal and professional sanctions, including fines, prosecution, and immediate dismissal from the Ghana Education Service (GES). In the 2026 cycle, two officials have already been fined GH¢2,400, and those convicted are automatically removed from the government payroll.
The Ministry of Education emphasizes that professional misconduct during national examinations will not be excused. Interdiction—the temporary removal from duty during an investigation—is the first step, followed by criminal prosecution. Last year’s precedent shows that the state is willing to follow through; eight people from the previous year have already been sentenced and lost their livelihoods.
Beyond the immediate legal fines, the “automatic loss of job” serves as the ultimate deterrent. The Minister for Education has stated that individuals involved in such acts are “unfit to be teachers,” effectively ending their careers in the Ghanaian education sector forever.
Why did the Minister of Education label malpractice suspects “enemies of the state”?
The Ministry of Education uses the term “enemies of the state” because examination malpractice undermines the very foundation of the nation’s human resource development and the international credibility of Ghanaian certificates. A statement signed by Deputy Minister Dr. Clement Apaak reiterated that compromising national exams is a direct attack on the country’s integrity.
When the integrity of the BECE is compromised, it devalues the hard work of honest students and creates an unfair society where merit is sidelined. This rhetoric is designed to elevate the severity of the crime from a simple “rule-breaking” event to a high-stakes betrayal of national trust.
The government’s firm commitment to “ruthlessly” dealing with these individuals is an affirmation that academic honesty is a matter of national security. By framing it this way, the Ministry hopes to galvanize public support for strict monitoring and encourage whistleblowing against unscrupulous persons.
How many people were convicted for exam malpractice in the previous year?
Of the 40 individuals caught facilitating cheating during the previous year’s examinations, eight have been successfully convicted and sentenced. The remaining 32 suspects are still being processed through the appropriate legal entities and courts, showing that the wheels of justice are turning, albeit steadily.
The fact that 100% of those convicted last year lost their jobs and were removed from the GES payroll serves as a cautionary tale for the 19 people arrested in 2026. The Ministry is using these “previous cases” to guide current stakeholders and remind them that the state does not forget or ignore these crimes once the exam window closes.
This multi-year tracking of convictions demonstrates a sustained effort by WAEC and security agencies. It is no longer a “one-off” crackdown but a systematic cleansing of the examination process to ensure that only deserving students progress to the next level of their education.
Factual Insights into the 2026 BECE and Malpractice Crackdown:
- Total Centers: There are 2,303 examination centers currently active across the country for the 2026 BECE.
- Arrest Statistics: 19 officials have been arrested so far in the 2026 cycle, with 52.6% of those coming from the Ashanti Region alone.
- Bono Region Fines: The two officials prosecuted in the Bono Region were each fined GH¢2,400, totaling GH¢4,800 in immediate penalties.
- Career Impact: Conviction for exam malpractice leads to an automatic and permanent removal from the Ghana Education Service payroll.
- Pending Cases: There are still 32 individuals from the previous year’s exams awaiting final sentencing in the courts.
- Security Deployment: The 2026 monitoring team includes a collaboration between the Ministry of Education, GES, WAEC, and national security agencies.
- Candidate Risk: Students found with unauthorized materials or seeking external assistance risk the total cancellation of their entire exam results.
What specific actions constitute “malpractice” under WAEC rules?
Exam malpractice includes a wide range of prohibited activities such as the possession of unauthorized materials (leaked papers or notes), collusion between candidates, and seeking external assistance from invigilators. It also covers “aiding and abetting” by officials who look the other way while students cheat.
In the 2026 BECE, the focus is not just on the students but on the “unscrupulous persons”—teachers and supervisors who facilitate the fraud. This shift in focus recognizes that students are often led into malpractice by adults who are supposed to be their mentors.
Professional misconduct also includes the use of mobile phones in the exam hall and the smuggling of “solved” answers into the center. WAEC has deployed strict monitoring to catch these digital and physical breaches in real-time, leading to the immediate arrests witnessed this week.
What is the risk for candidates involved in cheating?
Candidates found guilty of cheating face the immediate cancellation of their results for the specific subject or, in severe cases, their entire BECE performance. This effectively prevents them from transitioning to Senior High School (SHS) and can delay their education by a full year or more.
The Ministry’s statement was clear: “any candidate found cheating… risked having his/her results cancelled.” This is intended to place the burden of honesty on the students themselves, encouraging them to rely on their own preparation rather than the “external assistance” offered by corrupt officials.
Beyond the academic loss, being caught in a malpractice scandal carries a significant social stigma. It brands a young learner as someone who attempted to “corrupt” the system, a label that can follow them through their academic and professional journey.
How is the government protecting the 2,303 examination centers?
The government has deployed a multi-agency task force comprising the Ministry of Education, Ghana Education Service (GES), WAEC, and national security agencies to monitor all 2,303 centers. This “strict monitoring and enforcement” approach includes unannounced visits and the use of intelligence-led deployments.
By involving security agencies, the state has elevated the monitoring process from a simple pedagogical check to a law enforcement operation. This allows for immediate arrests on the spot, as seen with the 19 individuals picked up this week.
Collaboration is the key to this strategy. While WAEC handles the technical side of the exams, the security agencies handle the arrests and the GES manages the professional interdictions. This united front makes it nearly impossible for “unscrupulous persons” to find a gap in the system to exploit.
Also Read: 2026 BECE Official Update: Over 600,000 Candidates Set to Sit for WAEC Exams
What does the dismissal of convicted teachers mean for the GES?
The dismissal of teachers convicted of malpractice is a move to protect the long-term integrity of the teaching profession. The Minister for Education has announced that such individuals are “unfit to be teachers,” and removing them from the payroll ensures that they no longer have an influence on the nation’s learners.
This policy helps to weed out professionals who prioritize short-term results over long-term character development. For the GES, it is a painful but necessary “pruning” process that ensures the remaining workforce is held to a high ethical standard.
Furthermore, these dismissals save the state from paying salaries to individuals who have actively worked against the state’s interests. The “automatic loss of job” rule simplifies the administrative process, allowing the Ministry to act swiftly once a court delivers a guilty verdict.
Conclusion: Restoring the Integrity of Ghanaian Education
The arrest of 19 officials during the 2026 BECE is a stark reminder that the fight against examination malpractice is far from over, but the government’s resolve is stronger than ever. By targeting the facilitators of cheating the supervisors and invigilators the state is cutting off the supply chain of academic dishonesty.
The message to candidates, teachers, and school authorities is unambiguous: academic integrity is a non-negotiable national value. Those who attempt to compromise the system are not just breaking rules; they are “enemies of the state” who will face the full weight of the law, from heavy fines in the Bono Region to permanent career endings in the Ashanti Region.
As the 2026 BECE continues across the 2,303 centers, the eyes of the nation remain on the conduct of every stakeholder. The goal is to ensure that every certificate issued by WAEC is a true reflection of a student’s hard work, ensuring a brighter and more honest future for Ghana.
Also Read: BECE Candidate Killed in a Motor Crash On His Way to Write Exams in Upper West Region