The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has said it will invoke the principle of zero tolerance to examination malpractice, even as it reiterates Instructions for candidates and examiners of the ongoing 2025 West African Examination Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

In a statement signed by management of the Council, WAEC called on all well meaning Nigerians to ‘collaborate with WAEC to ensure that the fraudulent activities of certain unscrupulous elements are frustrated in order not to erode the diligent efforts of candidates who have prepared tirelessly for the examination’.

The statement in full:

CONDUCT OF THE WEST AFRICAN SENIOR SCHOOL CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION (WASSCE) FOR SCHOOL CANDIDATES, 2025 –
ZERO TOLERANCE FOR EXAMINATION MALPRACTICE

The conduct of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination for School Candidates (WASSCE), 2025 commenced in April 2025 and has proceeded smoothly despite challenges which have been surmounted.

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) hereby wishes to apprise its stakeholders and the general public of its efforts against some activities which were designed to encourage the perpetration of acts of examination malpractice.

This is a clarion call to all well-meaning Nigerians to collaborate with WAEC to ensure that the fraudulent activities of certain unscrupulous elements are frustrated in order not to erode the diligent efforts of candidates who have prepared tirelessly for the examination.

In pursuit of this objective, WAEC hereby reiterates, for the purpose of emphasis, its instructions to candidates for the ongoing WASSCE for school candidates 2025:
1) Candidates are required to be seated in the examination hall before the commencement of each of their subjects/papers. All Supervisors have been fully briefed to make and forward reports on any candidate who is late for an examination.
2) Candidates are warned that WAEC has deployed technological applications to identify those who patronise rogue websites and use their materials during the examination. In compliance with WAEC’s Rules and Regulations for dealing with cases of irregularity in its examinations, where a candidate is found to have posted or received live questions/answers on the internet via social media, his/her entire results shall be withheld pending the outcome of investigation by the appropriate committee of the Council. If the Candidate is found culpable, his/her entire result shall be cancelled. The matter may also be reported to the Nigeria Police Force for investigation and prosecution of all those involved.

In addition, WAEC has retained the use of the Candidates Identity Verification, Attendance, Malpractice, and Post Examinations Management System (CIVAMPEMS) to:

(1) verify candidates’ identities, to curb impersonation;
(2) capture candidates’ attendance at examination centers; and
(3)report acts of examination malpractice taking place during the conduct of the examination for WAEC’s post examination processes.

Examination malpractice is the bane of quality education and undermines national development. It is a cancer in the education sector which requires a multidimensional approach for total annihilation. In this vein, the active cooperation between WAEC and its stakeholders is invaluable in the light of the foregoing.

WAEC, as a world class examining body remains committed to excellence and will do all within its power to ensure that the integrity of educational assessment within its purview is not compromised.