The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has warned schools and supervisors against the extortion of candidates amid the ongoing 2026 WASSCE.
In a statement on Monday, WAEC's Head of Public Affairs, Moyosola F. Adesina, confirmed that the council had received reports of extortion involving the transportation of scripts, welfare packages, and unauthorized "cooperation" fees. It also identified cases where schools demanded payment for KAPEK calculators already provided by the Council at no cost to candidates.
WAEC described these practices as illegal and unethical, noting that they pose a direct threat to the integrity of the examination.
The council warned that "schools or officials found violating these directives will face strict sanctions, including derecognition, blacklisting, prosecution, and referral to relevant authorities for disciplinary action."
While reaffirming its commitment to protecting the integrity of its examinations, the council directed school proprietors, principals, supervisors, and invigilators to desist from collecting money from candidates or parents, harassing candidates in any form, and to ensure the immediate reporting of any extortion attempt through the appropriate channels.
However, WAEC assured the public that measures have been put in place to ensure the remainder of the examination is conducted without hitches, pointing to the smooth conduct of the examination on Friday, June 5, 2026, as evidence of improvement.
This development follows an earlier statement in which the council attributed delays recorded during the ongoing WASSCE 2026 to a fatal motor accident that claimed the lives of three of its staff, alongside security challenges and mass protests over the abduction of school children.
The council assured the public that measures have been put in place to ensure the remainder of the examination is conducted without hitches, pointing to the smooth conduct of the examination on Friday, June 5, 2026, as evidence of improvement.
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