WAEC records rising cases of malpractice including mass cheating incident in 2025 BECE
WAEC reports a surge in exam malpractice during BECE 2025, with candidates caught using mobile phones and copied answers. Council pledges full investigations and stricter enforcement.
Damian Owusu 
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has raised concerns over rising cases of examination malpractice in the ongoing 2025 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). Officials warn that the trend may continue as the exams progress, with multiple instances of fraud already documented.
One of the most alarming cases involved an examination room where 16 out of 31 candidates were caught with photocopied answers, suggesting an organized attempt at cheating. WAEC officials stated that the students’ statements had been recorded and were being processed in line with WAEC regulations.
In a separate breach, five candidates were caught using mobile phones during the exam—a direct violation of strict examination protocols. Their statements have also been collected for further investigation.
The Council has reaffirmed its commitment to upholding the integrity of the BECE, emphasizing that all reported incidents will undergo thorough investigation. Officials note that while they cannot yet provide an exact figure on malpractice cases, the numbers have been increasing daily.
WAEC urged both candidates and invigilators to strictly adhere to examination rules, assuring the public that it will impose sanctions where necessary to maintain credibility in the system.
The rise in malpractice cases raises concerns about candidate preparedness, invigilator oversight, and institutional enforcement. With education stakeholders increasingly calling for stronger anti-cheating mechanisms, WAEC may need to strengthen security measures, improve invigilator training, and enhance digital monitoring to curb future incidents.
As WAEC continues its assessment of the situation, the final report on BECE 2025 malpractice cases will provide deeper insights into the scale of academic dishonesty in Ghana’s basic education sector.
