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Ms. Wendy Addy-Lamptey – Head of the WAEC National Office
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) is partnering with law enforcement agencies to crack down on fraudulent websites operating in the country.
The examining body has sent details of more than 21 such websites to the security agencies to track them and make those behind them book.
Also included in the report to law enforcement agencies is the damage those websites are causing to the future generation and the nation as a whole.
WAEC National Office Director Ms Wendy Enyonam Addy-Lamptey told the Daily Graphic that the websites were activated whenever the council exams were about to be written.
Most of the websites, he said, had more than 60,000 followers, most of them students, so “they find it easier to attract students with their fake questionnaires.”
Fraudulent website names
Ms. Addy-Lamptey recalled that this year, shortly after President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced the reopening of schools for JHS and SHS seniors to prepare for their BECE and WASSCE respectively, up to 21 of those websites. came up, with interesting and attractive names.
He mentioned some of the names like: “WAEC Exam Room”, “WAEC – Applicants Exam Leaks”, “WAEC Passed Exam”, “WASSCE Results Update”, “WAEC for 2020”, “Exam Links West African “and” WAEC’s Secret Room “.
Others are “WAEC Spark WAEC”, “Ghana Education News”, “WAEC Update”, “WAEC 2020”, “WAEC Authentic Hub”, “WAEC Ghana”, “WAEC Union”, etc.
Flashback: some students write a WASSCE article
What they do
Ms Addy-Lamptey said that the activities of those websites included posting bogus exams, bogus answers to alleged exam questions, bogus exam schedules, misleading unsuspecting candidates and the public to improve their exam results, among others.
She said that some of the website operators used Facebook to advertise their websites, set up WhatsApp platforms and link to other sites, while others were posing as typists at WAEC or had direct links to WAEC’s strong room.
To make their activities look authentic, he said, some of them had ties to professors who were watchdogs and supervisors, “and sadly those exam officers take snapshots of the documents after distribution and send them to the website operators, who upload them on their websites ”.
Vital information
Ms Addy-Lamptey said WAEC had been able to obtain the operators’ contact numbers and some other details that should make it easier for law enforcement agencies to track them down.
He said that a crackdown and subsequent blocking of such websites would minimize the problem of test neglect and also save desperate candidates and their parents, who ended up parting with large sums of money over allegedly leaked documents, which often end up being false.
WhatsApp platforms
He expressed the belief that if those websites were blocked, the operators would not be able to get students to extort money from them, in the name of providing them with authentic exams.
Ms. Addy-Lamptey revealed that some of those operators had WhatsApp platforms where most of the students were linked, and therefore advised those students to get off those platforms because when the operators were apprehended, everyone who was on the platforms they would be in trouble. .
He advised people to exit platforms when they were unsure of administrators’ intentions, as such platforms could be used for criminal activity.
Threat to credible examinations
She described those websites and their activities as the greatest threat to the credibility of certificates issued by WAEC and therefore advised exam candidates to “desist from dealing with such websites and do not hesitate to contact WAEC offices or the WAEC website: www.waecgh .org, for any help ”.
He also called for the collective support of parents, supervisors, supervisors and all those who had a role to play in writing the exams to help ensure that “we have credible exams.”
Advice to candidates
Ms Addy-Lamptey pointed out that candidates who prepared long before the exams did not bother to seek illicit assistance, known locally as ‘apo’, and therefore advised candidates to always prepare.
He reminded candidates that even if they succeeded in neglecting the exams, the council had a way to determine whether or not a candidate had cheated.
He expressed his gratitude to the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Education Service and, in particular, National Security for the enormous support provided to the council.
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