Latest analysis of the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) malpractice data suggests a notable reduction in examination room collusion across Ghana.
According to the WASSCE monitoring desk of Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch), early indicators show meaningful progress in curbing coordinated cheating in examination centres.
Executive Director Kofi Asare described the trend as encouraging, noting that the data is still being compiled into a full report. “While our WASSCE desk is compiling the full report, these early indicators are very encouraging,” he stated.
Eduwatch maintains that examination room collusion continues to be the single largest form of malpractice in Ghana’s external exams.
The organisation estimates that about 95 percent of exam malpractice cases stem from coordinated activities within examination halls involving candidates and, in some cases, officials.
A key red flag, according to the group, is when an entire centre has results for a particular paper cancelled. In-line with the analysis, Eduwatch noted that such mass cancellations carry “a 99.9 percent indication of exam room collusion between invigilators, supervisors and candidates.”
Numbers Show Significant Year-on-Year Drop
The comparative data between 2024 and 2025 paints a picture of improvement. In the 2024 WASSCE, a total of 135 schools recorded at least one paper cancelled for all candidates at the centre, with the raw malpractice count in those schools reaching 43,657.
By contrast, the 2025 figures show that only 49 schools fell into the same category, with 22,824 cases recorded. This represents a 63.7 percent decrease in the number of affected schools and a 47 percent drop in the raw malpractice count.
Eduwatch interprets this as strong evidence that examination room collusion declined during the 2025 examination cycle. The watchdog(Eduwatch) attributes the improvement largely to tighter supervision during the exams.
It pointed to what it described as “strengthened invigilation” by the Ghana Education Service (GES), Ministry of Education (MoE), West African Examinations Council (WAEC), and the National Schools Inspectorate Authority (NaSIA).
Eduwatch said the trend confirms findings from its October 2025 WASSCE survey, which reported heightened invigilation presence at examination centres. The group emphasised the relationship between supervision and malpractice levels.
“When invigilation is high, exam room collusion is low; and results cancellation due to collusion [is] low since cheating can’t easily happen,” the analysis noted.
Sanctions and Monitoring Also Playing a Role
Beyond physical supervision, Eduwatch believes policy adjustments are beginning to bite. The organisation cited what it called a “recalibrated sanctions framework” alongside its own watchdog activities as contributing factors to the improved outcomes.
Education analysts have long argued that consistent enforcement, rather than occasional crackdowns, is key to deterring organised cheating networks in Ghana’s high-stakes examinations.
Eduwatch suggested the emerging data may signal that recent reforms are starting to produce measurable results.
Cautious Optimism as Full Report Awaits
Despite the positive indicators, the watchdog stopped short of declaring victory. Officials say the WASSCE desk is still compiling the comprehensive report, which is expected to provide deeper insights into regional patterns, subject-specific trends, and enforcement gaps.
Still, the early numbers have injected cautious optimism into Ghana’s education accountability space, where exam integrity has remained a persistent concern. In a characteristically reflective close, the Executive Director, Kofi Asare invoked a local proverb to underscore the importance of sustained vigilance.
“When the fence is strengthened, the goats stop straying into the garden,” he said. The message is clear: while progress appears real, maintaining strict supervision and accountability will be critical to preserving the gains recorded in the 2025 WASSCE cycle.
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