The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) says it is optimistic about reducing examination leakages as it intensifies efforts to curb malpractice ahead of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), which begins next Monday.
The Head of Public Affairs at WAEC, John Kapi, stated in an interview that exam malpractice can only be effectively addressed if all stakeholders—parents, candidates, and the general public—play their roles responsibly.
He expressed confidence that incidents of leakage will decline in the upcoming BECE and other future examinations, noting that WAEC has already put in place several preventive measures.
However, he stressed that the success of these efforts largely depends on the conduct of candidates and their parents.
Mr. Kapi revealed that some parents go as far as purchasing leaked exam papers, commonly referred to as “apor,” for their children, while some students also actively engage in the practice.
“There are some parents who go to the length of buying ‘apor’ for their children and even the children themselves buying ‘apor,’ which is not helping the country,” he said.
He warned that such behaviour undermines the integrity of the education system and has long-term negative consequences for national development.
Mr. Kapi reiterated WAEC’s commitment to fighting examination malpractice and called on the public to support the council by discouraging all forms of cheating.