The Ministry of Education has renewed its warning against examination malpractice in the ongoing 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), following reports of misconduct on the first day of the nationwide exercise.

In a statement issued on May 6, the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, cautioned candidates, teachers, invigilators, supervisors and school authorities to strictly adhere to examination rules.

The examination, which is taking place across the country, is expected to end on May 11.

The Ministry said the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) recorded seven cases of malpractice involving teachers and invigilators in the Central, Bono and Ashanti regions on the first day.

The Ministry described the development as worrying and said it had become necessary to restate its position.

“We are of the firm conviction that any individual complicit in examination malpractice is an enemy of the state and would be dealt with ruthlessly,” the statement said.

It warned that any candidate found cheating, whether through possession of unauthorised materials, collusion or seeking outside help, risks having their results cancelled.

The statement also made it clear that teachers, invigilators and school authorities who support or ignore malpractice will face serious consequences. These include dismissal, interdiction and possible prosecution.

“Professional misconduct during national examinations will not be excused,” it added.

The Ministry said its actions form part of a broader effort to protect the integrity of national examinations. It stressed that malpractice would not be tolerated under any circumstances.

Referring to past cases, the statement noted that 40 people were caught last year for their involvement in examination malpractice. Of that number, 8 have already been convicted and sentenced, while the courts are still processing 32 cases.

Those convicted have lost their jobs and will be removed from the payroll of the Ghana Education Service.

“Let those who think they can get away with compromising our national examinations… be guided by the plight of those who tried such last year,” the Ministry warned.

To strengthen monitoring, the Ministry said it is working closely with the Ghana Education Service, WAEC and security agencies. Together, they have deployed strict supervision measures across all 2,303 examination centres nationwide.

The statement cautioned that “any attempt to compromise the integrity of the 2026 BECE will attract immediate and severe sanctions,” while also wishing candidates success in their examinations.