The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has sounded the alarm over the growing exploitation of candidates by some schools and examination coordinators through the collection of unauthorized fees and illegal levies during the conduct of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
According to WAEC, some candidates are compelled to pay various charges under different pretexts, including so-called “cooperation fees,” transportation fees for examination materials, welfare packages, and other unapproved levies. The Council described these practices as illegal, unethical, and harmful to the integrity of the examination process.
One of the most troubling allegations involves schools demanding payment for KAPEK calculators that WAEC has already supplied free of charge to candidates. In some cases, students are threatened with exclusion from examination activities unless such payments are made.
The Council warned that these practices not only place unnecessary financial burdens on candidates and their families but also undermine public confidence in the credibility of the examination system. WAEC stressed that no candidate should be forced to pay any fee outside officially approved charges.
To curb the trend, the examination body has threatened severe sanctions against offending schools and individuals. These include derecognition of schools, blacklisting, prosecution, and referral to relevant authorities for disciplinary action.
WAEC has urged parents, candidates, and stakeholders to report any incidents of extortion and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the integrity, fairness, and credibility of the WASSCE across the country.
