As a proud Ghanaian who has journeyed through the Ghanaian education system with integrity and discipline, I find it heartbreaking and alarming to see the growing spate of examination malpractices that have plagued our nation’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). More disturbing, however, is the recent public outrage directed at teachers and invigilators, as if they alone are the architects of this menace.
Yes, I unequivocally condemn examination malpractice in all its forms. I have never engaged in it throughout my education, and I do not support or encourage it in any way. It robs hardworking students of the fruits of their labour, undermines the credibility of our educational system, and builds a faulty foundation for the future of our children. The Ghana Education Service (GES) is right to show concern and issue warnings. But let us not pretend that threats and public shaming alone can fix the problem. We must also address the uncomfortable truth—systemic neglect and poor remuneration for invigilators are at the heart of the matter.
It is nothing short of appalling that invigilators—those tasked with safeguarding the sanctity of one of our nation’s most important academic milestones—are paid a meagre Gh¢20 per session. In today’s Ghana, where inflation has pushed the cost of living to unbearable levels, Gh¢20 cannot buy a decent breakfast, let alone sustain a person for the day. How can we expect invigilators to remain principled and unyielding when the system offers them such an insulting token in exchange for their integrity?
Let us call a spade a spade. This derisory allowance has become one of the reasons students, parents, and even school authorities feel emboldened to bribe invigilators into turning a blind eye to cheating. When those we entrust with responsibility are not compensated adequately, we weaken their resolve and tempt them with alternatives that compromise the very values we expect them to uphold.
GES and WAEC must rise above rhetoric and take action. If we are serious about ending examination malpractice, then we must also be serious about paying invigilators and supervisors fairly. They should not be made to choose between hunger and honesty. A fair wage is not a luxury—it is a necessity if we want to maintain the credibility of our national examinations.
As thousands of final-year Junior High School students across the country prepare to write the BECE starting tomorrow, I wish each and every one of them the very best of success. May their hard work, sleepless nights, and commitment be rewarded with excellent results. To the honest teachers, invigilators, and school heads out there—your integrity is appreciated and needed now more than ever.
To GES and WAEC, the time to act is now. Pay invigilators what they deserve. Stop feeding a system where poverty creates loopholes for malpractice. Let us build an education system that rewards merit, protects integrity, and values the very people who make it function.
Ghana deserves better—and our children, the future of this nation, deserve the truth.
SAVIOUR GOKAH,
KPOTA,
ANYAKO, V/R
