The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has voiced its concerns about the threats of social media on the ongoing Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
According to the Council, social media is increasing malpractices, and that is a challenge now.
WAEC’s Head of Public Affairs, John Kapi, warned that platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram are being misused to jeopardise the integrity of public examinations.
“Social media has created a bigger problem than we anticipated. Of course, there are good sides to it, but people are exploiting it on the negative side. With the advent of mobile phones, WhatsApp, Telegram, and others, it’s become difficult to curb examination malpractice,” he stated.
The rise of digital leaks and organised cheating has presented a significant hurdle for WAEC in recent years.
Mr. Kapi noted that the Council is in the process of reviewing and strengthening its security and monitoring systems to address these threats during the 2025 BECE.
READ: 2025 BECE: 10 arrested for malpractices
His comments come as public concern about the credibility of national assessments continues to mount, particularly with the rapid evolution of technology and increasingly sophisticated cheating strategies.
In related news, Mr. Kapi confirmed that the government has allocated more than half of the necessary funds for the successful execution of the 2025 BECE.
“As we speak, the government has paid a little above 50% of the amount we need for the BECE. Assurances have been made, and if all of them are fulfilled, there will be no hitches, and the results will be released appropriately for candidates to move on to their next stage,” he assured.
