By Joyce Danso, GNA
Accra, March 25, GNA – Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, has said the growing incidence of falsified results and forged certificates undermines the mandate of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
She said the situation, if left unchecked, risked eroding the credibility on which the entire examination system depended.
Speaking at the opening of WAEC’s 74th Annual Council Meeting in Accra on Tuesday, she called on stakeholders to ensure that students imbibed the values of integrity and honesty.
“We must be clear and consistent in our response, which is to uphold the integrity of our exams, to reject malpractices in all its forms and protect the value of the qualifications we confer.
“I urge every stakeholder, chiefs, school administrators, opinion leaders, parents, guardians and students to work together to ensure that our children learn the right values of integrity and honesty,” she said.
The meeting brought together member countries, namely The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
WAEC is Africa’s foremost examining board, established by law in 1952 to determine examinations required in the public interest in English-speaking West African countries, conduct examinations and award certificates comparable to those of equivalent authorities internationally.
The annual council meeting rotates among member states, with Ghana hosting this year’s event.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang noted that the rise in examination malpractice threatened to undermine WAEC’s objectives, including the maintenance of educational standards.
“This is not a challenge for the council alone. It speaks to a broader responsibility, that rest with institutions, communities, citizens and especially the students themselves.”
The Vice President reiterated the importance of strict invigilation at all levels of examination administration.
“Anyone who helps a student to cheat at exams really hates this person and is already contributing to his or her future failure,” she said.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang commended various governments for sustaining WAEC and gave assurance that the Government of Ghana would continue to provide the necessary support to strengthen structures, improve operational efficiency and promote sustainability.
She said WAEC had been a pragmatic example of regional collaboration on the continent for over 70 years and had made significant progress in maintaining educational standards through credible examinations.
Many distinguished citizens, the Vice President noted, were products of the rigorous systems the council had safeguarded over the decades.
“In a rapidly developing world, driven by technology, it is essential that an assessment body like WAEC develop assessment tools to evaluate not only the knowledge students have gained but also challenge them to be creative and critical thinkers so they can compete successfully with their peers worldwide.”
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said future academic growth, regional mobility and economic integration in the subregion largely depended on the quality of education provided today.
“Therefore, the innovative mechanisms implemented to ensure fairness, transparency and economic and integrity in the exam processes are commendable.”
The occasion was also used to present certificates and cash prizes to the Council’s International Excellence Award winners of the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for School Candidates.
Three females from Ghana swept the awards, with Huda Suglo Suleman and Paula Adzo Elinam Sowu, both former students of Legacy Girls College, adjudged first and second prize winners respectively, while Matthea Aba Andoh, a former student of Hope College, placed third.
The Vice President congratulated the three students from Ghana for their achievement at the WAEC Excellence Awards.
“May this achievement inspire parents and educators to nurture talents, regardless of gender or background.”
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang encouraged students to draw inspiration from the award winners, noting their hard work and discipline.
“Let every prospective candidate to choose discipline and focus and resist any temptation to use dishonest methods to pass exams.”
She charged council members to use the meeting to find innovative ways to improve standards in West Africa and foster regional cooperation.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey