More than twenty teachers and invigilators face potential dismissal by the end of September following investigations into examination malpractices during the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination, the Ghana Education Service has confirmed.
Speaking to 3News on September 9, GES Public Relations Officer Daniel Fenyi revealed that investigations have uncovered widespread breaches involving educators who accepted bribes to compromise examination integrity. The misconduct was reported across multiple examination centers, with some schools allegedly facilitating the improper conduct.
“We will investigate first. Once you’re caught — and even some of the people we’ve invited have admitted themselves — they engaged in malpractice,” Fenyi stated. He disclosed that some teachers accepted payments as low as 60 Ghana cedis per day, while others received between 100 and 200 cedis, with students in some cases contributing up to 500 cedis that was distributed among teachers and invigilators.
The examination malpractice revelations follow similar concerns raised during the recent Basic Education Certificate Examination. A JoyNews investigative documentary exposed GES officials accepting as little as 60 cedis to allow candidate cheating during the 2025 BECE, highlighting systemic challenges in Ghana’s examination processes.
According to the GES, all individuals found guilty at the conclusion of ongoing investigations will face sanctions, with dismissal likely by September 30, 2025. The service previously warned that any act of collusion, leakage of exam materials, or compromise of examination procedures would attract dismissal, emphasizing zero tolerance for malpractice.
The Ghana National Association of Teachers has expressed disappointment over the situation. General Secretary Thomas Tanko Musah urged educators to maintain professional ethics, cautioning teachers against compromising their integrity for financial gain.
“Don’t allow anybody to use your hand to catch a snake,” Musah warned, referencing the poisonous consequences of such actions. “Be mindful of what you’re doing because it will compromise your integrity.”
GNAT has previously issued stern warnings to teachers in various regions against examination malpractice, emphasizing the importance of professional conduct during examinations. The association’s response reflects broader concerns within the teaching fraternity about maintaining educational standards.
In a related development, the GES addressed concerns about the Basic Education Certificate Examination placement process, assuring parents and candidates that no unauthorized changes have been made to school choice selections in the placement portal.
“Where we sit now, our computers and systems cannot change [placement data],” Fenyi clarified. “So if you find any change to the choices that you made, it’s likely it’s not coming from us.”
The malpractice investigations occur despite earlier warnings from GES Deputy Director-General Professor Smile Gavua Dzisi about zero tolerance for examination misconduct during the 2025 WASSCE. The service had emphasized its commitment to maintaining examination credibility through strict oversight.
The widespread nature of the alleged misconduct raises questions about supervision mechanisms within Ghana’s examination system. Educational stakeholders have called for enhanced monitoring and stronger deterrent measures to prevent future occurrences.
The investigations represent the latest challenge facing Ghana’s education sector, which continues grappling with infrastructure limitations, funding constraints, and professional conduct issues. The GES maintains that protecting examination integrity remains paramount to preserving public confidence in the education system.
Officials emphasize that the ongoing investigations will be thorough and transparent, with appropriate sanctions applied to all individuals found culpable. The service has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring fairness and credibility in Ghana’s examination processes.
The September 30 deadline for completing disciplinary actions signals the GES’s urgency in addressing the malpractice allegations before the WASSCE concludes. The outcomes could set important precedents for future examination oversight and professional conduct enforcement.
Source: newsghana.com.gh
