Abuakwa South MP and public health lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Dr. Kingsley Agyemang, has called for a bold and deliberate policy shift in Ghana’s educational assessment system.
He warned that entrenched examination leakages and misconduct will persist unless the current framework itself is fundamentally reformed.
His intervention comes amid growing concerns over recurring exam malpractice. The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) recently confirmed that 16 people have been arrested in connection with this year’s West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
Reacting to the development on JoY FM’s Top Story on Friday, September 6, Dr. Agyemang argued that “it is worrying that after spending about nine years in school, pupils are assessed within just three hours. Don’t you think we should rethink our assessment criteria?” he asked.
“Unless we change the framework of assessment and how questions are presented, malpractice will continue,” he added.
As public outrage mounts over the never-ending examination malpractice, many educationists have proposed stricter monitoring, including CCTV installation in exam halls. But Dr. Agyemang dismissed the idea as insufficient.
“Look at the number of exam centers across the country. Even if we install CCTVs, they won’t stop malpractice. At best, they will only record it. After all, if the question-setting system remains predictable, the temptation and opportunity for malpractice will always exist,” he said.
Instead, he suggested structural reforms such as introducing varied but equivalent question sets to reduce collusion.
The MP criticised Ghana’s assessment culture for rewarding rote learning rather than practical competence.
“Society is changing. The workplace is changing. If our schools only teach students to pass a paper in three hours, we are failing them. Assessment must measure holistic learning and not just recall,” he argued.
He called on the Ministry of Education, WAEC, and other stakeholders to embrace modern reforms, including continuous assessment, project-based evaluation, and competency testing.
On Parliament’s commitment, Dr. Agyemang said the Education Select Committee is prepared to support credible reforms with resources but cautioned against pouring money into fragmented surveillance measures.
“Parliament is listening, and we will play our role. But the truth is this, if we don’t rethink assessment policy, we’ll keep discussing malpractice every single year,” he cautioned.
Examination malpractice, from leakages to impersonation, has for decades undermined public trust in Ghana’s education system and the credibility of its certificates.