By Elizabeth Osayande

The West African Examinations Council, WAEC, has issued a strong warning to school proprietors, principals, and examination supervisors to cease the extortion of candidates participating in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCE. The council described these practices as “undermining the integrity” of the essential educational assessment.

In a statement released on Wednesday, issued by the public affairs department and signed by the Head, Public Affairs, Mrs Moyosola Adesina, WAEC highlighted the disturbing trend of officials demanding money from candidates under various misleading pretexts. These include fees for the “transportation of scripts,” “welfare packages,” and unauthorised “cooperation” charges.

“The integrity of our examination system is paramount,” said a WAEC spokesperson. “These acts are illegal and unethical, posing a direct threat to the credibility of the WASSCE. No candidate or parent must succumb to these extortion tactics.”

Additionally, WAEC flagged instances where schools charged students for KAPEK scientific calculators, which the council provides free of charge. “We have been informed of schools imposing fees for calculators that should be distributed at no cost. This practice must end immediately,” the spokesperson added.

In light of these issues, WAEC has outlined key directives for all schools and examination personnel:

1. Zero fees: No collection of money from candidates or parents for any examination-related service.
   Free materials: KAPEK calculators distributed by WAEC are to be provided to candidates at no cost.
2. Immediate reporting: Any extortion attempts must be reported to the nearest Zonal Coordinator, Branch Controller, or through WAEC’s official communication channels.

The council has committed to investigating all reported incidents and warned that violators could face significant repercussions, including the blacklisting of schools and disciplinary measures against erring supervisors and invigilators.

As the 2025 WASSCE for school candidates commenced on April 24 across Nigeria and other WAEC member countries, WAEC reiterated its commitment to maintaining the highest standards of integrity in the examination process. “We urge all stakeholders to work together in preserving the sanctity of our examinations and supporting our candidates,” the spokesperson concluded.