The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has announced that all withheld results of candidates who sat for the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) will be released by February 28, 2025.
At a press conference on Friday, February 7, WAEC revealed that investigations into alleged malpractice and irregularities are nearing completion.
John Kapi, the Head of Public Affairs at WAEC, expressed confidence that the council would conclude its probe and release the withheld results by the set date.
“The Council has continued its hearing for the affected candidates and has been releasing results as appropriate. The Council wishes to assure all stakeholders that all cases of malpractice will be finalized, and results released by February 28,” Mr. Kapi stated.
The assurance follows a legal battle and threats from the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) to stage nationwide protests over the withheld results.
Despite the overall success of the exams, WAEC reported several instances of malpractice, including photocopying answers, hiding foreign materials, smuggling mobile phones, and collusion in exam halls.
Acknowledging the legal battle, Mr. Kapi noted that the increase in malpractice cases was alarming and urged all stakeholders to speak out against the issue to maintain the credibility of the examination.
WAEC has withheld over 10,500 results due to suspected malpractice.
In response to widespread controversy and anxiety among parents and candidates, private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu filed a motion for Mandamus on behalf of the affected candidates.
On Friday, January 30, 2025, the High Court in Accra ordered WAEC to immediately release the withheld results. The court ruled that WAEC’s decision to withhold the results without clear reasons was unjustified, as the reasons given were ambiguous, citing both “alleged examination malpractice” and “alleged irregularities.”
Justice Ali Baba Abature, who presided over the case, emphasized that invigilators reported no malpractices or irregularities during the examination.
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