The Ministry of Education has issued a fresh warning against examination malpractice in the ongoing 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), following reports of infractions recorded on the first day of the nationwide exercise.
In a statement released on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu cautioned candidates, teachers, invigilators, supervisors, and school authorities to strictly comply with examination rules, stressing that any violation would attract severe sanctions.
He warned that anyone found complicit in examination malpractice would be treated as an enemy of the state and dealt with decisively.
The warning follows reports from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), which recorded seven malpractice cases involving teachers and invigilators across the Central, Bono, and Ashanti regions on the first day of the exams, scheduled to end on May 11, 2026.
According to the Ministry, candidates caught cheating—whether through possession of unauthorized materials, collusion, or seeking outside assistance—risk having their results cancelled.
It added that teachers, invigilators, supervisors, and school authorities who aid or ignore malpractice will face strict disciplinary measures, including dismissal, interdiction, and possible prosecution, emphasizing that professional misconduct during national examinations will not be tolerated.
The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the integrity of national examinations, describing malpractice as a serious threat to the country’s education system.
Referencing previous enforcement actions, it disclosed that out of 40 individuals apprehended for facilitating cheating in last year’s exams, eight have already been convicted and sentenced, while 32 cases remain under review.
The statement noted that those convicted have lost their jobs and will be removed from the Ghana Education Service payroll, as they are deemed unfit to continue teaching.
To prevent further incidents, the Ministry indicated that it is working with the Ghana Education Service (GES), WAEC, and security agencies to enforce strict monitoring measures across all 2,303 examination centres nationwide.
The Minister reiterated that any attempt to undermine the integrity of the 2026 BECE will attract swift and severe punishment, and concluded by wishing all candidates success in their exams.
