Report by Ben LARYEA
The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has announced that its security network have been beefed up to monitor and track social media cartels purported to be operating rogue websites, WhatsApp, telegrams among of displaying and posting fake and numerous versions of questions on the internet and solicit monies from unsuspecting WASSCE candidates.
According to the Council, the cartels deceive the candidates and take huge sums of money from them with the promise of assisting and teach them to successfully pass their exams.
Some of the portals that have come to the notice of the Council are Brotherhood, WAEC Secret Helper, Success room, Eminent Link, Mr. TUPAC, Ruth, Mr. Robert and Jerusallema and as a result of these nefarious and clandestine activities, the Council have intensified its security operatives to arrest and prosecute those culpable in the said acts.
“With the passing of the cyber security Act, 2020 (Act 1036), the prosecution of operatives of these fraudulent groups is effected”, the Council stated.
Giving an account of examinations irregularities, the Council said a number of these dealings have been detected and recorded at some centres and mentioned exams halls, poor supervision and invigilation.
In addition, the execution of re-arranged plans to assist candidates to cheat by selling questions and distributing solutions and answers to questions and the smuggling of mobile phones into exams halls by candidates awaiting answers from platforms they have paid monies to them and the swapping of questions papers at some centres as well as posting same on various WhatsApp platforms.
The Council in these regard, have put in place pragmatic steps to safeguard the integrity of examinations across the country and have therefore scaled up its security by enforcing strict internal controls and compliance by all staff to the security regulations of the Council.
It has consequently enhanced security and monitoring at the various centres upon top offs of schools suspected to be involved in exams malpractices and the withdrawals of some supervisors and invigilators from providing services for the Council pending further sanctioning for compromising in examination malpractices.
“Scrutiny of scripts of schools where cheating have been reported for appropriate sanctions to be applied”, the Council further said adding that the Council in collaboration with the security agencies will continue to track rogue websites and social media cartels and those found culpable will be prosecuted as such.
“The Council remains focused on its mandate of conducting credible exams at all levels and in the wake of the challenges, management and its relevant stakeholders is steadfast in its commitment to conduct the 2021 examinations,” it said.
The WASSCE(SC) 2021, which commenced on 16th August, 2021 is ongoing at the 763 centres being used for the examination. Thirty three papers including Arabic, Financial Accounting, French, Graphic Design, Mathematics (Elective), Biology and English language have been administered to candidates as the examination is being monitored by teams of inspectors from WAEC and other bodies who are collaborating with the Council.
