The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has expressed growing concern over the misuse of social media platforms to facilitate examination malpractices, warning that the situation is becoming increasingly difficult to control. According to John Kapi, WAEC’s Head of Public Affairs, “Social media has created a bigger problem than we anticipated. Of course, there are good sides to it, but people are exploiting it on the negative side. With the advent of mobile phones, WhatsApp, Telegram, and others, it’s become difficult to curb examination malpractice.”
The growing trend of digital exam leaks and coordinated cheating has posed a major challenge for WAEC in recent years. Kapi stated that the Council is currently reviewing and strengthening its security and monitoring systems to counter such threats during the 2025 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
In a related update, Kapi confirmed that the government has disbursed more than half of the required funds for the successful conduct of the 2025 BECE. “As we speak, the government has paid a little above 50% of the amount we need for the BECE. Assurances have been made, and if all of them are fulfilled, there will be no hitches, and the results will be released appropriately for candidates to move on to their next stage,” he assured.
Kapi also explained that this year’s exam timetable was adjusted to accommodate the upcoming Muslim festival and to align Ghana’s academic calendar with the May-June schedule followed by other WAEC member countries. WAEC’s renewed vigilance comes amid its ongoing efforts to uphold the credibility of the BECE and safeguard the future of thousands of students across the country.
