BECE malpractices: Don't treat the arrested teachers with kid gloves - Prof. Agyekum to Police

Dean of the School of Performing Arts and Linguistics Lecturer at the University of Ghana, Professor Kofi Agyekum says the 12 arrested teachers in connection with examination malpractices must face the full rigours of the law.

According to Professor Kofi Agyekum, popularly called Opanyin Agyekum, the teachers should set an example for others to clamp down on the perennial malpractices that characterize the Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE) and West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE).

Background

Security persons of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) in collaboration with the National Security, on Monday, November 15, 2021, which marked the start of this year's BECE, arrested 11 teachers and a headteacher over alleged examination malpractices.

The 12 were picked up at two examination centres in the Offinso Municipality in the Ashanti Region and the Senase R/C Basic School in Berekum in the Bono Region.

Offences

A source at WAEC told the Daily Graphic that a teacher of the Offinso State ‘A’ Junior High School (JHS) was allegedly caught collecting money from the candidates while distributing the Social Studies answer booklets at the Offinso Methodist JHS examination centre.

In the Offinso municipality, the second case involved nine teachers and a headteacher caught solving the objective part of the Social Studies paper at the Dwamena Akenten M/A JHS examination centre.

Opanyin Agyekum Cautions

Opanyin Agyekum bemoaned the actions of the teachers stressing they have disgraced themselves and their families.

He wondered why they misconducted themselves when they are supposed to set a good example to the students.

He also sought to find out why people aren't afraid of engaging in examination malpractices.

''Every year, examination malpractices happen. What punishment is meted out to people which they are not frightened about? What are we doing about their arrest? The law must take its course. Even when the Police are done with their investigations, the Ghana Education Service also has theirs to do," he said on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo''.

He maintained that the Police must ensure the suspects dance to the laws saying ''we should not treat this with kid gloves or else we will be breeding future thieves who will ruin this nation . . . So, let's deal with these people''.