Eduwatch backs GES sanctions on SHS exam malpractices
By Praisebell Rosemond Larbi
Education think tank Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch) has commended the Ghana Education Service (GES) for introducing measures to hold Senior High School (SHS) heads accountable for examination malpractices in this year’s West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
Under the new policy, all SHS heads are required to sign an undertaking to ensure a malpractice-free examination.
Eduwatch says the move highlights the crucial role of school leadership in safeguarding the integrity of Ghana’s education system.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, 12 August 2025, the organisation described the directive as decisive and timely.
However, it emphasised that the accountability framework should not be limited to cases reported by invigilators, supervisors and inspectors during the conduct of the exams.
Eduwatch recommended that the scope also cover irregularities detected by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) after scripts have been marked.
It cited WAEC statistics from 2018 to 2023 showing that while only 1,439 cases of collusion were reported at examination centres, a staggering 82,141 cases were uncovered after the marking process.
This highlights that fewer than two per cent of collusion incidents are detected on-site.
“Considering the critical supervisory role of school heads during the WASSCE, any school whose results are cancelled in at least 10 per cent of subjects should see its head sanctioned by the GES,” the organisation urged.
Eduwatch also linked the persistence of examination malpractice to the WASSCE Pass Rate Performance Contracts signed by school heads and the WASSCE School Rankings.
It argued that these policies create undue pressure on schools to achieve high pass rates, potentially encouraging unethical practices.
The group has proposed scrapping both initiatives and replacing them with intermediate outcome indicators that promote quality learning and sound teaching practices without creating perverse incentives for malpractice. Eduwatch reaffirmed its readiness to work with GES, WAEC and other stakeholders to improve exam integrity. It stressed that safeguarding the credibility of Ghana’s education system requires a holistic approach, combining preventive measures, accountability mechanisms and a review of policies that may inadvertently fuel dishonest behaviour in schools.
