The Ministry of Education has issued a renewed warning against examination malpractice in the ongoing 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), following reports of infractions on the first day of the nationwide exercise.
In a statement released on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, cautioned candidates, teachers, invigilators, supervisors, and school authorities to strictly adhere to examination rules, stressing that any breach would attract severe consequences.
“Any individual complicit in examination malpractice is an enemy of the state and will be dealt with ruthlessly,” the Minister warned.
The statement comes after the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) recorded seven cases of malpractice involving teachers and invigilators across the Central, Bono, and Ashanti regions on the first day of the exams, which are scheduled to end on May 11, 2026.
According to the Ministry, candidates found guilty of cheating—whether through possession of unauthorized materials, collusion, or seeking external assistance—risk having their results cancelled.
It further warned that teachers, invigilators, supervisors, and school authorities who facilitate or ignore malpractice will face “severe consequences, including dismissal, interdiction, and possible prosecution.”
“Professional misconduct during national examinations will not be excused under any circumstances,” the statement emphasized.
The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the integrity of national examinations, describing malpractice as a “dangerous phenomenon” that undermines the country’s education system.
Citing previous enforcement actions, the Ministry revealed that of the 40 individuals caught for facilitating cheating in last year’s examinations, eight have already been convicted and sentenced, while 32 cases are still being processed.
“The eight convicted persons have automatically lost their jobs. They are unfit to be teachers and will be taken off the payroll of the Ghana Education Service,” the statement noted.
To curb further infractions, the Ministry said it has collaborated with the Ghana Education Service (GES), WAEC, and security agencies to deploy strict monitoring and enforcement measures across all 2,303 examination centres nationwide.
“Any attempt to compromise the integrity of the 2026 BECE will attract immediate and severe sanctions,” the Minister reiterated.
The Ministry concluded by wishing all candidates success in their examinations.
