Exam Malpractice: WAEC arrests 20 officials, uncovers 56 illegal websites

The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has arrested at least 20 school officials for allegedly aiding and abetting examination malpractice in the ongoing 2023 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

Head of the National Office of the Council, Patrick Areghan, disclosed this in Lagos.

Areghan said the culprits were arrested in various parts of the country and have all been handed over to the police for prosecution.

“No fewer than 20 school officials, allegedly aiding and abetting examination malpractice, have been arrested by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) in its ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates.

“The issue of examination malpractice can no longer be treated with kid gloves. It is no longer business as usual, as it has completely eroded morals and values in our society. It is taking a dangerous dimension, which, if not tackled, will bring our country to its knees.

“Now, since the commencement of this examination, we have deployed our technology, designed to catch examination cheats and we are happy with the results we have gotten so far.

“For instance, in Ibadan, Oyo, where we have our zonal office, which takes care of Osun, Kwara, and Oyo itself, we made three arrests in a school and for the purpose of confidentiality, I will not mention the name.

“There, a supervisor at a centre, principal, and invigilator were all arrested. They were arrested for allegedly snapping and posting the questions to some platforms, thereby, aiding and abetting examination malpractices.

“Then, in Maiduguri, a supervisor and principal of a school were both arrested and handed over to the police too.

“In Umuahia, a teacher and a supervisor were arrested in a particular school and they have been handed over to the police.

“In Abeokuta, a school proprietor was the first to be caught at the beginning of this examination on May 8, snapping and posting question papers,” he said.

He stated that another school principal was arrested in Osogbo, alongside an invigilator and chief supervisor, while in Kaduna, a supervisor and an examination official in a school, who were caught in the act, were arrested and handed over to the police.

Areghan also disclosed that the Council has uncovered 56 rogue website operators involved in examination malpractice since the start of the examination.

“Now, let me tell you confidently that so far, we have identified 56 of these rogue website operators and those who patronise them, and we are going to pick them up.

“The materials that candidates see on these rogue websites are all fake, as most times, the operators resort to photoshopping.

“They can just superimpose 2023 on top of a paper of 2020 and use it to deceive them. By the time they get to the examination hall, they become blank, as everything will become strange to them,” he said.

Speaking on the claims that examination questions get leaked before the commencement time, he said WAEC’s examinations could never be accessed illegally.

“I want to counter this statement that some people are fond of making, which is that our examination questions always leak. That does not exist. Our examination is always safe and secured until they get to the candidates in the hall.