The 2025 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) has been rocked by a
major scandal after the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) announced the
cancellation of 177 candidates’ papers
across multiple centers. The decision, though legally binding and within WAEC’s
mandate, has triggered a nationwide debate over examination integrity, systemic
lapses in Ghana’s education sector, and the future of assessment credibility in
the country. This article examines why the cancellations occurred, what they reveal
about weaknesses in the education system, and what stakeholders must do to
prevent recurrence.
Why the Cancellations Happened
According to WAEC, the 177 affected papers
were cancelled due to widespread irregularities including cheating, impersonation, collusion, and smuggling
of unauthorized materials into exam halls. Investigations revealed
sophisticated leakages of questions through social media platforms, as well as
coordinated efforts between some invigilators and candidates to facilitate
malpractice. In some cases, entire centers were implicated, forcing WAEC to
take sweeping action.
Unlike past years where most irregularities
were limited to isolated candidates, 2025 saw a surge in organized malpractice networks. These
groups reportedly used WhatsApp and Telegram platforms to circulate supposed
“live papers,” often for a fee. Although WAEC insists most of these leaks were
fake, some genuine question compromises did occur, prompting the council to act
decisively.
WAEC’s Justification
WAEC has defended its decision on the grounds
that maintaining the credibility of the BECE is more important than short-term
public backlash. A senior official noted: “If
we allow malpractice to go unchecked, the integrity of the qualification will
collapse. The few who have been affected must serve as a deterrent to the
many.”
This stance aligns with WAEC’s long-standing
disciplinary measures, which include cancellation, withholding, or
nullification of results where evidence of malpractice is strong. In 2025, the
council stressed that the cancellations applied only where indisputable proof
existed, such as identical scripts, unauthorized materials retrieved from
candidates, or collusion detected through statistical script analysis.
Stakeholder Reactions
The announcement has sparked outrage among
affected candidates, parents, and civil society groups. Many argue that the
blanket cancellation penalizes innocent students caught up in systemic
failures. Some parent associations have threatened legal action, calling for independent
audits of WAEC’s investigation methods.
On the other hand, education think tanks such
as Africa Education Watch have supported the move, insisting that without
strict enforcement, Ghana risks breeding a culture where examinations lose
their value. Teacher unions have also called for reforms in invigilation
procedures, pointing to underpaid supervisors and poor logistical support as
breeding grounds for malpractice.
Broader Implications
The cancellation of 177 papers may appear
numerically small compared to the hundreds of thousands of candidates
nationwide, but the implications are profound. At the micro level, individual
students face setbacks, psychological trauma, and potentially lost years of
education. At the macro level, it raises critical questions about the
sustainability of Ghana’s exam-centered
education model, where stakes are so high that malpractice becomes
attractive.
To understand the dynamics, the analysis below
categorizes the causes, consequences, and possible solutions.
Analytical Breakdown
Factor | Description Implications Recommendations
Causes of Cancellation Cheating, collusion, impersonation, leakage of exam
questions, and poor invigilation practices Reflects systemic weaknesses in
monitoring, inadequate security of exam papers, and corruption among officials Strengthen digital monitoring, introduce biometric verification, and
incentivize invigilators.
WAEC Justification Maintaining exam integrity and deterring future
malpractice Protects the credibility of the BECE certificate but risks
punishing innocent students Establish transparent appeals process, enhance
fairness in decision making.
Stakeholder Reaction Outrage from parents and students; support from
education watchdogs Creates public mistrust in WAEC, increases pressure for
reform Open stakeholder dialogues, enhance communication on investigation
processes.
Psychological Effects Stress, trauma, and loss of confidence among affected
students' Potential dropouts, delayed educational progression Provide
counseling and special re-sit arrangements.
Systemic Weaknesses Exam leaks via social media, underpaid invigilators,
and exam-center collusion. Suggests wider corruption networks in education
sector Deploy digital exam systems, review remuneration for invigilators,
adopt randomization of centers.
Long-Term Reforms Shift from high stakes testing to holistic assessments Reduces over-reliance on one exam, promotes continuous assessment Blend
continuous assessment with standardized exams, use technology for evaluation.
Digging Deeper: Why the System Breeds
Malpractice
One cannot analyze this development without
addressing the structural pressures
embedded in Ghana’s education system. The BECE is the sole determinant of
progression into senior high school. As a result, families and schools see it
as a do-or-die affair. This high-stakes environment makes malpractice almost
inevitable.
In many rural areas, limited access to quality
teachers pushes candidates to seek shortcuts. Similarly, some private schools,
eager to maintain reputations for high pass rates, actively encourage
malpractice. Add to this a poorly resourced WAEC struggling with logistics, and
the result is a fragile system vulnerable to exploitation.
Lessons from History
This is not the first time WAEC has cancelled
results on a large scale. In 2015, widespread leaks led to the rescheduling of
entire papers, while in 2022, hundreds of candidates also had their results
nullified. The repetition of such crises shows that despite periodic reforms,
Ghana has yet to build a resilient,
malpractice-proof assessment system.
SUMMARY TABLE
Affected Group Action Taken
1.
718 candidates Subject results cancelled
2.
177 candidates Entire
results cancelled
3.
1,240 candidates Subject
results withheld
4.
93 candidates Entire
results withheld
5.
Subject results from 119 schools also cancelled
Possible Reforms
1. Technological Innovation – Introduce
encrypted digital distribution of exam questions, similar to Kenya’s system
where papers are printed at district centers under police guard.
2. Continuous Assessment Integration –
Reduce reliance on a single final exam by giving 40–50% weight to
classroom-based assessments verified by independent inspectors.
3. Stricter Invigilation – Train and
properly remunerate invigilators to reduce temptation for collusion. Introduce
random rotation of supervisors to reduce local compromises.
4. Student Support – Offer re-sit options
for affected candidates under strict supervision to ensure fairness.
5. Transparency and Accountability –
Publish detailed reports of investigations to build trust among stakeholders.
Conclusion
The cancellation of 177 BECE candidates’
papers in 2025 is a wake-up call for Ghana’s education sector. While WAEC’s
decision is aimed at safeguarding the credibility of the exam, the recurring
nature of such crises shows that deeper reforms are needed. Until Ghana reduces
the stakes of a single exam and strengthens systemic integrity, students will
remain tempted by shortcuts, and scandals will continue to tarnish the
country’s educational reputation.
Ultimately, safeguarding the future of Ghana’s children requires balancing discipline with fairness, and punishment with reform. Only then can the BECE truly serve as a fair and credible gateway to higher education.