GES denies allegations of plan to help candidates cheat in WASSCE

The Oti Regional Education Directorate of the Ghana Education Service (GES) has denied allegations of a plot to assist Free Senior High School (Free SHS) candidates to cheat in WASSCE currently ongoing at 834 examination centres.

GES denial follows a claim by former National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) President, Kwame Alorvi that some teachers and headmasters are in a grand scheme to aid their students in cheating in the ongoing examination.

But, the Oti Regional Education Directorate reacting to the allegation said no such scheme or an attempt to engage in examination malpractice in the ongoing WASSCE for School has been uncovered by the Directorate.

“The Regional Education Directorate is monitoring the examination process and such plans to cheat, or signs of cheating have not come to the attention of Regional Management,” the management of the Directorate said.

It added “We strongly denounce any actions that undermine the credibility of our examinations and compromise the principles upon which education is built.

It is imperative to emphasize that we do not condone, nor will we ever condone any activities that perpetuate examination malpractice for any reason.

We wish to assure Kwami Alorvi and all other stakeholders that, we are firmly on the ground and in charge of our schools in terms of monitoring and effective supervision.

The Regional Director and Management will not sit down on their bowels and watch schools undermine the smooth conduct of any external examination including WASSCE or Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

Management has launched an investigation into the allegations and will make its findings available to the appropriate authorities.

Anyone who may be found guilty of engaging in any form of misconduct/malpractice will face appropriate disciplinary action per the Ghana Education Service (GES) code of conduct for staff.”

The 2023 WASSCE for School Candidates commenced on Monday, July 31, 2023, with the Visual Art Project work. The Ghana version of the international examination is expected to end on September 26, 2023.

A total of 447,204 candidates, made up of 211,834 males and 235,370 females drawn from 975 schools have entered for the examination. This figure indicates an increase of 5.8% compared to the 2022 entry figure of 422,883.