BECE: Individuals arrested for infractions are being prepared for court proceedings, says WAEC

Written by GliveRadio Accra on July 10, 2024

The West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) has stated that individuals arrested for infractions during the ongoing Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) are being prepared for court proceedings.

Over nine individuals have been arrested so far during the BECE.

In a statement released on Tuesday, WAEC highlighted that briefing sessions were conducted with District Directors of Education and Supervisors before the start of the examination. These sessions aimed to inform them about the new regulations governing the examination.

“Among other things, the supervisors were informed that they were prohibited from bringing along mobile phones to the examination centres. A stern warning was issued against this practice.”

“However, some chose not to heed this advice and so they were arrested by the NIB and the locally recruited agents by WAEC and handed over to the police,” it added.

The Council reported that at the Save our Souls Educational Centre in Bekwai, three teachers were apprehended for attempting to aid the candidates.

“They are Patience Serwaah, Oscar Ben Azumah, and Thomas Gyimadu. Other persons who were unrelated to the examination but came around attempting to assist the candidates are Christian Osei and Kyei Baffour Alex,” it added.

WAEC stated that at the Jinijini Senior High School Centre, two invigilators were caught taking snapshots of the English Language question papers and sharing them on a WhatsApp platform called ‘Koraso Ma JHS.’

“Nkoranza Senior High School. An invigilator, Abeam Danso, was arrested with a mobile phone on which were answers to the Religious and Moral Education Questions. Chemu Senior High School, Tema, a teacher, Amoako Joseph, was arrested for taking pictures of the question papers and posting them on a platform named ‘Apor Lord for BECE, 2024.’

“Liberty Hills School centre, an invigilator, Faaweerie Patrick, was arrested for taking pictures of the Science paper and handed over to the police. Jachie Pramso SHS centre in the Ashanti Region, an invigilator, Danso Emmanuel had a phone on him in the examination while Mensah Emmanuel (invigilator) had pieces of paper on which were answers to the questions of the English Language paper,” WAEC stated.

It further indicated that at the Santoe Basic School centre, teachers from DESVY International School were discovered on their school bus solving the Science questions with the intention of passing them on to their students in the examination hall.

“They are; Thomas Ativor, 37, a Twi language teacher, Emmanuel Ammisah, 47, a mathematics teacher, Edwin Goodluck, 39, a Science teacher and Richard Boateng, 32, a Computing teacher,” it added.

WAEC therefore opined that “They have all been reported to the police and are being processed for court.”