Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio has accused the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) of contributing to examination malpractice, saying the practice is undermining educational standards and harming the country’s future.
Speaking at the opening of the NATCA office in Freetown, President Bio said parents, teachers and the examinations body were all playing a role in helping students cheat.
“WAEC is helping our children to cheat us,” he said.
“The Minister of Civic Education has a huge task ahead. Parents are helping their children to cheat, teachers are helping their students to cheat, and even WAEC is helping students to cheat us.”
The comments are among the strongest public criticisms the president has directed at WAEC, which administers key public examinations across West Africa.
President Bio said examination malpractice had become a national concern and warned that it was undermining efforts to develop a competent workforce.
“We have to change this because it will not help us as a nation,” he said.
“Students must stop cheating, and parents should stop buying answers for their children. By encouraging examination malpractice, we are only cheating ourselves and jeopardising the future of our country.”
Examination malpractice has long been a challenge for Sierra Leone’s education system. Over the years, WAEC has withheld or cancelled the results of thousands of candidates accused of offences ranging from collusion and impersonation to the possession of unauthorised materials and the leakage of examination questions.
The growth of social media and encrypted messaging platforms has added a new dimension to the problem. In recent examination cycles, reports emerged of purported examination questions and answer schemes circulating on WhatsApp and other platforms before or during examinations, prompting calls for tighter security measures and stronger enforcement.
Authorities have also investigated allegations involving teachers, invigilators and school administrators accused of facilitating cheating.
The issue comes despite significant government investment in education through the Free Quality School Education programme, launched by President Bio in 2018. The initiative has increased access to schooling, but questions about learning outcomes and academic standards have persisted.
Education experts say widespread cheating can weaken confidence in academic qualifications and leave students inadequately prepared for higher education and employment. “When examination results do not accurately reflect a student’s abilities, the consequences can extend beyond the classroom and affect the quality of the country’s future workforce.”
The president called on parents, teachers, students and examination authorities to work together to promote honesty and merit within the education system.
WAEC has not yet publicly responded to the president’s comments.
