35 suspects, including 19 teachers face court over 2025 WASSCE malpractices

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has intensified efforts to safeguard the integrity of the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), identifying 35 individuals, including 19 teachers, for serious examination offences.

In a statement issued on November 29, 2025, WAEC revealed that investigations into widespread irregularities led to significant sanctions and criminal prosecutions. The Council confirmed that “a total of 35 persons, 19 of whom are teachers, were found to have engaged in acts that compromised the integrity of the examination.”

Investigations were completed and reviewed by the Ghana Examinations Committee during its 40th meeting on November 17, 2025. “So far, 19 of them have been arraigned before court and have been convicted to fines or terms of imprisonment,” the statement said. The remaining 16 suspects are yet to be presented before the courts.

Beyond court action, WAEC indicated that “the list of teachers will be presented to the Director General of the Ghana Education Service for further disciplinary action,” signaling possible professional sanctions for educators involved.

The crackdown has also resulted in the cancellation of thousands of candidate results. Subject results of 6,295 candidates were annulled for bringing foreign materials such as prepared notes, textbooks, and printed content into exam halls. Additionally, the entire results of 653 candidates were cancelled for possessing mobile phones during the exams. The subject results of 908 candidates and the full results of 158 candidates remain withheld pending further investigations.

WAEC further confirmed that alleged collusion involving candidates from 185 schools is still under review. “We are working around the clock to ensure that the withheld results... are published before the end of December 2025, depending on the outcome of investigations,” the Council said.

Emphasizing its commitment to exam credibility, WAEC warned stakeholders to be cautious of fraudsters claiming to alter grades for a fee, noting that all results “are secured and can be authenticated using its results verification system.”

The Council expressed appreciation to all institutions, supervisors, invigilators, and security agencies whose support was instrumental in detecting and apprehending suspects, reinforcing WAEC’s resolve to maintain transparency and trust in the WASSCE.