Pru East MP Accuses Akufo-Addo Government of Enabling WASSCE Cheating for Free SHS Success
The Pru East Member of Parliament, Emmanuel Boam, has made a startling accusation against the former Akufo-Addo administration. He claims that the government intentionally created an environment that facilitated widespread cheating in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) to artificially boost pass rates under the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy.
In a statement to journalists on December 2, 2025, Mr. Boam alleged that the weakened examination standards under the previous government allowed students to pay for what he called 'examination support levies,' which enabled cheating. He further stated that some candidates were even allowed to bring mobile phones into the examination halls.
According to Mr. Boam, these practices significantly inflated WASSCE performance figures, giving the impression that the Free SHS policy had achieved remarkable academic success. He emphasized, 'There has never been an organized and well-coordinated examination malpractice like what we witnessed under the past government. It was a coordinated effort among institutions that were compelled to align.'
The MP also questioned the policy of evaluating headteachers based solely on WASSCE outcomes, despite the state's inadequate logistical and infrastructural support. He posed a critical question: 'How can you link school ratings to WASSCE results and threaten headteachers with removal when they lack the basic resources to manage their institutions?'
Mr. Boam further alleged that students were forced to contribute to 'examination support levies.' He claimed that some teachers collected money and collaborated to solve exam questions, passing them to invigilators for distribution. He stated, 'The system was so compromised that students had to pay for examination support, and teachers were solving questions elsewhere and passing them on to invigilators.'
As a result, the MP has called on the current Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, to establish a commission of inquiry to investigate these alleged malpractices and their impact on Ghana's education system. He believes this is crucial to maintaining the integrity of the country's educational standards.
This controversial statement has sparked discussions and invites readers to share their thoughts in the comments section, encouraging a deeper exploration of the issue.
