GCE Board sanctions close to 2,000 candidates!.

According to the statistics released by the Board, some 1,891 cases of examination malpractices were registered during the June 2023 session.

The GEC Board said the candidates sanctioned were involved in malpractices, ranging from use of pre-prepared material, collusion, use of cellphones, script substitution, impersonation and violence.

Those who were caught with cell phones, impersonating and substituting scripts had their results annulled. They were also each handed a three-year suspension from sitting examinations organised by the Board.

Meanwhile, candidates who were found with pre-prepared material, involved in acts of violence and collusion, saw their results cancelled. They have also been banned from taking part in GCE related examinations for a one-year period.

Growing cases of malpractices

Going by the statistics made public by the GCE Board, the number of candidates caught with pre-prepared material during the 2023 GCE session more than doubled that of 2022 session.

As per the release, 302 cases of examination malpractice were recorded in 2022 and the number increased to 693 this year.

The Board also said in 2022, there were 619 cases of collusion- candidates having similar information on their scripts. The figure increased to 994 in 2023.

Cases of cell phones used for exams almost tripled within the period under review, moving from 55 in 2022 to 189 in 2023. 

There were three cases of script substitution in 2022. The number doubled in 2023, while cases of impersonation stood at eight, within a two-year period.

It should be noted that the credibility of the 2023 session of the GCE was put to test after it was alleged that some teachers had leaked examination questions to students in exchange for money.

Some of the teachers were said to have been running WhatsApp groups, where examination questions were leaked with pre-prepared answers for a cost.

Teachers also in dragnet

The sanctions meted out on candidates come two months after some teachers involved in the organisation of this year’s session of the GCE were suspended.

The Registrar of the GCE Board, Dang Akuh Dominic, had, in a communique dated June 9, 2023, suspended GCE examination officials of Government Bilingual High School, GBHS Isangele in Ndian Division of the South West Region.

The Chief of Centre, Tabot Eliot Tanka, alongside five others, including Osang Mbote, Lawrence, Aboko Felix, Nkengafac Gregory, Anjeh Paul and Nguessa Fred were “suspended from participating in all GCE Board activities of the 2023 examination session as of June 9, 2023”.

The suspension was the first official reaction from the Cameroon GCE Board, following the scandalous leaks of examination questions.

Officials at the GCE Board say these sanctions are in a bit to curb or completely stop malpractices, both at the local and national examinations. They add that the move will go a long way to uphold the credibility of examinations organised by the GCE Board. 

By Ndong Brenda* & Faith Ebanga* - Journalism students on internship