PAN Raises Alarm Over Rising WASSCE Malpractice, Calls for Urgent Government Action

The Patriotic Advocacy Network (PAN) has raised concerns over what it describes as a growing wave of examination malpractice during the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in Sierra Leone, urging the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education to take immediate action to protect the integrity of the examination process.

In a formal communication addressed to the Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, PAN alleged that increasing incidents of cheating, collusion, bribery, leaked examination materials, and the presence of so-called “ghost students” at examination centres are threatening the credibility of the country’s education system.

According to the organisation, the WASSCE has long served as a critical benchmark for assessing students’ readiness for tertiary education and should remain a fair and credible measure of academic achievement.

“The WASSCE has historically served as the definitive benchmark for determining our pupils’ readiness for tertiary education. Unfortunately, this standard is now being undermined by rampant unethical practices,” PAN stated.

The advocacy group warned that the growing prevalence of examination malpractice is having far-reaching consequences, particularly for hardworking students who dedicate years of effort to their studies.

According to PAN, many diligent candidates are becoming increasingly discouraged as cheating appears to be widespread in some examination centres, creating an uneven playing field and undermining confidence in the examination process.

“Brilliant, dedicated pupils who spend years studying rigorously now feel their efforts are futile due to the open-door culture of cheating in many centres,” the organisation noted.

PAN further cautioned that the continued tolerance of unethical practices risks normalising corruption within the education sector, potentially fostering attitudes and behaviours that could have long-term negative consequences for national development.

The organisation called on the Ministry to implement urgent and robust measures to address what it described as a systemic problem, including strengthening monitoring and enforcement mechanisms at examination centres across the country.

PAN also alleged that examination malpractice is being enabled by a network of actors within the education system, including some school administrators, teachers, parents, and examination officials, and stressed the need for a coordinated national response involving all stakeholders.

“We are fully committed to working with the Ministry and other stakeholders to eradicate examination malpractice in Sierra Leone,” the group stated.

The organisation further disclosed that it is preparing a comprehensive position paper outlining the key factors contributing to examination malpractice and proposing practical recommendations for addressing the issue.

PAN also requested a formal meeting with the Ministry to discuss collaborative strategies aimed at restoring credibility, fairness, and public confidence in the examination system.

The concerns come amid the ongoing nationwide administration of the WASSCE, which continues to attract public attention over issues relating to examination integrity, accountability, and equal opportunity for all candidates.