A shocking exposé has revealed a deeply entrenched culture of corruption in the 2025 Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE) in Ghana, with officials of the Ghana Education Service (GES) and invigilators implicated in facilitating widespread cheating for as little as GH¢60. The revelations, uncovered in the JoyNews Hotline documentary Dark World of BECE, produced by investigative journalist Francisca Enchill of GH Probe, paint a troubling picture of systemic malpractice that threatens the integrity of Ghana’s education system.
Collusion and Corruption at Examination Centers
At Derby Avenue RC Basic School in Accra, investigators found that invigilators were offered a daily bribe of GH¢60 to turn a blind eye to candidates smuggling mobile phones into examination halls. These devices were used to access artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT, enabling students to obtain answers in real time. In some instances, candidates received solved questions directly from complicit officials. At St. George’s Anglican, supervisors went further, distributing envelopes containing GH¢400 to invigilators, while candidates were instructed to make daily payments to secure assistance during the exams.
The malpractice extended to a disturbing practice dubbed the “Aseda Offertory,” where students were coerced into contributing at least GH¢5 each as a token of “appreciation” for invigilators’ complicity. By the final exam paper, these contributions were pooled and shared among invigilators, further institutionalizing the corrupt practices.
Organized Malpractice Evades Detection
The investigation revealed a highly organized system designed to evade scrutiny from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Security officials. Invigilators reportedly dictated answers to candidates, circulated handwritten and printed solutions, and ensured that all evidence was collected before students left the examination halls. Supervisors played a critical role as lookouts, alerting their counterparts to the presence of WAEC or security officials to ensure the malpractice went undetected.
John Kapi, Head of Public Affairs at WAEC, condemned the practices, emphasizing that any payments made to invigilators or supervisors during examinations are illegal. “WAEC does not pay money in the course of the examination. We don’t do that,” Kapi stated, distancing the council from the corrupt activities.
A Culture of Corruption in the Making
Civil society organizations have raised alarms about the long-term consequences of such malpractices, warning that they are grooming a generation that views corruption as a norm. Kofi Asare, Executive Director of Africa Education Watch, described the situation as “teaching children corruption in basic schools.” He added, “Corruption 101 begins here. They grow up to normalize it, producing corrupt citizens and professionals.”
The implications are far-reaching. As Asare’s remarks suggest, students who cheat their way through foundational exams like the BECE may carry these unethical behaviors into higher education and professional fields, undermining trust in critical sectors such as healthcare and governance.
GES and WAEC Respond
The Acting Director-General of GES, Prof. Ernest Kofi Davis, took a firm stance against the implicated staff, stating, “We cannot work with staff who cheat. Why keep someone who carries questions to students in an exam hall instead of teaching them in class? Nobody wants to be operated on by a doctor who cheated their way through. We must stop this.” Prof. Davis assured the public that those caught aiding malpractice would face severe consequences.
WAEC, meanwhile, reported 43 arrests nationwide in connection with BECE malpractices in 2025, including supervisors, teachers, and administrators. The council noted that with adequate resources, it could recruit invigilators with higher integrity to curb the issue. However, the scale of the problem suggests that systemic reforms, beyond arrests and sanctions, are urgently needed to restore credibility to the examination process.
A Call for Reform
The Dark World of BECE documentary has sparked outrage and renewed calls for stricter oversight and accountability in Ghana’s education system. The collusion between GES officials, invigilators, and even students highlights a troubling erosion of ethical standards that risks undermining the nation’s future. As stakeholders demand action, the focus must shift to fostering a culture of integrity in schools, ensuring that examinations reflect genuine academic ability rather than the ability to pay for illicit assistance.
The revelations serve as a wake-up call for policymakers, educators, and parents alike. Without decisive intervention, the normalization of corruption in basic education could have devastating consequences for Ghana’s social and economic fabric. For now, the nation waits to see whether the promises of accountability will translate into meaningful change or if the “Dark World of BECE” will continue to cast a shadow over the country’s education system.
