Sierra Leone News: 2 WAEC Candidates Arrested In Kono With Exam Answers In Their Cell Phones

The Anti-Corruption Corruption ACC has stated in a press release that public examination malpractice has the potential to undermine the human resource base of the country.

The commission over the weekend in coordination with the Police and Education Officer in Kono conducted random checks on West Africa Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) Centers.

The random checks apprehended two pupils with cell phones containing model answers to the 2015/2016 WASSCE Mathematics examination paper, at the Koidu Secondary and Experimental Secondary Schools, in Koidu City, Kono District.

The commission further noted in the release that examination malpractice has become an issue of public interest, adding that it has heightened its surveillance of examination centers nationwide to detect and prevent examination malpractices.

Patrick Sandy, Deputy Director, Public Education and Outreach Department of the Anti-corruption Commission said they took the pupils into care after the paper, questioned and released them to continue taking the other papers. He said both phones are in the custody of the Commission for further investigation.

Mr. Sandy said they were also concerned with the source of the exams materials. He said in as much as many people are speculating that such information might have come from the West African Examination Council (WAEC), but they are more particular about the invigilators manning the exams.

He called on the public to help in this fight, noting that it is a huge challenge to curb what he called “menace”. The commission wishes to assure the public that it will continue to be vigilant in detecting and preventing corruption nationwide.

Mr. Sandy said the move was part of the Commission’s focus to improving integrity in the Educational Sector. He said they would ensure they instill discipline and credibility into the educational sector in the country.