The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has issued a stern warning to school authorities, supervisors and invigilators over the alleged extortion of candidates during the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
In a statement released on Monday by the Council’s Public Affairs Department and signed by its Head of Public Affairs, Moyosola Adesina, WAEC said it had received reports of candidates and parents being forced to pay unauthorized fees.
According to the Council, some officials have allegedly demanded money for script transportation, welfare packages and other so-called “cooperation” charges that are not approved by the examination body.
WAEC also disclosed that certain schools were charging students for KAPEK calculators despite the calculators already being provided free of charge by the Council.
The examination body condemned the practice, describing it as illegal, unethical and capable of undermining the credibility and integrity of the WASSCE.
It directed all school proprietors, principals, supervisors and invigilators to immediately stop collecting unauthorized payments from candidates or their parents.
The Council stressed that no examination official is permitted to collect money from candidates for any purpose and urged the public to report extortion attempts through its official communication channels or zonal coordinators.
WAEC further warned against the intimidation or harassment of candidates, noting that any school or official found guilty could face sanctions ranging from derecognition and blacklisting to prosecution and referral to relevant authorities.
Reaffirming its commitment to maintaining examination standards, WAEC said it remains focused on protecting students and ensuring the smooth conduct of the 2026 May/June WASSCE, which began on April 21 and is scheduled to conclude on June 19.
