GES’ anti-malpractice policy a bold step, but needs expansion — Eduwatch

Education think tank Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch) has lauded 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 directive, all SHS heads will be required to sign an undertaking as part of efforts to ensure a malpractice-free WASSCE.

Eduwatch, in a statement released on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, described the move as a decisive step that underscores the role of school leadership in safeguarding the integrity of Ghana’s education system.

The think tank, however, stressed the need for the accountability framework to go beyond malpractices reported by invigilators, supervisors, and inspectors during the exams.

According to them, the scope must also cover the irregularities detected by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) after scripts have been marked.

Citing WAEC data from 2018 to 2023, Eduwatch noted that while only 1,439 cases of collusion were reported at examination centres, a staggering 82,141 cases were detected after marking—indicating that less than two per cent of collusion in exam rooms is captured on site.

“Considering the crucial supervisory role of school heads during the WASSCE, any school head whose school records at least 10 per cent subject result cancellations should face severe sanctions from the GES,” the organisation recommended.

Eduwatch further linked the rise in examination malpractices to the WASSCE Pass Rate Performance Contracts signed by school heads, as well as the WASSCE School Rankings.

It called for both practices to be scrapped and replaced with intermediate outcome indicators that promote quality learning without creating incentives for malpractice.

The group reiterated its commitment to collaborating with stakeholders to enhance examination integrity and protect the credibility of Ghana’s education system.