By: Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has released the provisional results of the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), while cancelling and withholding the results of hundreds of candidates over examination malpractice.
The council has cancelled the results of 601 candidates and withheld 167 others due to widespread examination malpractice.
WAEC is also investigating 2,722 candidates for alleged examination irregularities, with their results to be determined after the completion of the investigations.
According to an official statement from WAEC, the disciplinary actions follow severe breaches of examination rules during the national assessment.
The breakdown of the penalties reveals deep-seated issues across multiple test centres:
Subject Cancellations: 496 candidates had their specific subject results nullified for bringing foreign materials into the exam halls.
Entire Results Cancelled: 105 candidates (104 school candidates and 1 private candidate) lost their entire examination results.
Entire Results Withheld: 36 candidates (33 school candidates and 3 private candidates) have had their complete results blocked.
Mass School Sanctions: Subject results from 149 schools are currently withheld following reports of mass collusion.
The 2026 crackdown extended beyond the students. Security agencies arrested 43 adults, including teachers, invigilators, and exam supervisors, for aiding and abetting cheating.
Several teachers have already been convicted in court, facing hefty fines and immediate dismissal from the Ghana Education Service (GES) payroll.
The Ministry of Education says it is also considering publishing the names and photos of all adults involved to serve as a public deterrent.
While the majority of the 2026 cohort can now access their results on the official WAEC portal, those affected face an anxious wait.
The council stated that the withheld results will be released only if the candidates are cleared of wrongdoing following thorough investigations.
WAEC has strongly cautioned parents and candidates to guard against online fraudsters who claim to be able to upgrade failing or withheld grades for a fee.
