The main guidelines and norms regulating the Basic Education Certificate Examination have been updated by the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) (BECE), New rules and regulations for the bece in 2023.
The updated policies and guidelines encompass;
Posing Live Questions Online and Destroying Evidence
refusal to allow prompt access to the school’s grounds
The complete updated Rules And Regulations for the 2023 BECE are listed below.
MASS FRAUDULENCE
It is considered mass cheating when more than half of the candidates for a topic (or subjects) at a centre collude.
DE-RECOGNITION
This is applicable in cases where the relevant Council Committee is persuaded that a school engaged in widespread cheating cannot guarantee the successful administration of Council examinations.
This suggests that, while the Council or its agent may utilize the school’s physical facilities for the examinations, the school authority is no longer able to organize or operate the school as a school centre.
By meeting certain criteria, the school may be permitted to submit its candidates as school candidates or transfer them to another location for the exam. Nonetheless, the Council shall be in charge of organizing the entire examination (objective, practical, and essay).
REVOCATION OF RECOGNITION
The school will not be permitted to present its candidates as school candidates and the centre number will be revoked upon the authority of the school withdrawing recognition, which suggests that the school can no longer be organized or managed as a centre.
LEAKAGE
This happens when test questions are made available to applicants and the public before being taken out of the Council’s proper control. It involves the improper filtration of the Council question(s).
FOREKNOWLEDGE
When exam question papers are released from the Council’s proper custody but before the exam’s planned start time, candidates and/or members of the general public may become aware of their contents.
2023 BECE New Rules And Regulations According To WAEC
EXPLANATORY NOTES
A candidate is deemed to be found with the material in the examination hall if the material is found:
(a) on any part of the candidate’s body;
(b) in or on the desk/seat of the candidate.
(c) a school is deemed to have refused to grant examination official(s) timely access into the school premises/examination hall where it is found that the examination official(s) have identified themselves and they are not granted immediate entry thereafter, into the school premises for whatever reason.
THE RULES
1. BRINGING FOREIGN MATERIAL INTO THE EXAMINATION HALL
(1) Where a candidate is found with a blank piece of paper, cribs, notes textbooks, prepared material or any other printed material, in the examination hall (except mobile phone or any other electronic communication device), the following shall apply:
(a) where it is confirmed or there is evidence to show that the candidate is involved in examination malpractice in only one subject, the result of the subject involved shall be withheld pending the outcome of an investigation by the appropriate Committee of the Council.
(b) where it cannot be immediately confirmed or there is no evidence to show that the candidate is involved in examination malpractice in only one subject, the entire results of the candidate shall be withheld pending the outcome of an investigation by the appropriate Committee of the Council.
(2) Where a candidate is found with a programmable calculator in the examination hall, the entire results of the candidate shall be withheld pending the outcome of an investigation by the appropriate Committee of the Council.
(3) Where a candidate is found in the examination hall to have inscription(s) on any part of his/her body or clothing, the candidate’s entire results in the examination shall be withheld pending the outcome of the investigation by the appropriate Committee of the Council.
(4) Where a candidate is found with a mobile phone or any other electronic communication device in the examination hall, the entire results of the candidate shall be withheld pending the outcome of an investigation by the appropriate Committee of the Council.
2. IRREGULAR ACTIVITIES INSIDE OR OUTSIDE THE EXAMINATION HALL
(1) Where a candidate is apprehended for offence(s) such as those listed below inside or outside the examination hall, the candidate’s entire results shall be withheld pending the outcome of an investigation by the appropriate Committee of the Council:
(a) stealing, converting or misappropriating the scripts of other candidates.
(b) substituting worked scripts during or after the examination.
(c) submission of more than one worked script.
(d) possession of more than one question paper or answer booklet.
(e) seeking or receiving help from non-candidate(s) such as invigilator(s),
supervisor(s), teacher(s) or other personalities before, during or after the examination.
(2) Where the person giving the help is not a candidate for the examination in session, but a prospective candidate, he/she shall be barred from taking any examination conducted by the Council for 1 year and will also be reported to the appropriate authority for disciplinary action to be taken against him/her. In addition to the above action, the candidate’s entire results shall be withheld pending the outcome of an investigation by the appropriate Committee of the Council.
(3) Where a candidate is apprehended for offence(s) such as those listed below inside or outside the examination hall, the candidate’s entire results shall be withheld pending the outcome of an investigation by the appropriate Committee of the Council:
(a) tearing part of the question paper or answer booklet during the examination.
(b) refusing to submit a worked script to the Supervisor after the examination.
(c) starting to write an examination before the commencement of work is officially announced OR continuing to write after official orders have been given for candidates to stop work.
(d) other irregular activities including but not limited to causing noise or disturbances within the immediate precincts of the examination hall before, during or after the examination.
3. COLLUSION
(1) Where a candidate is found during the examination passing notes for help from another candidate (s), receiving or giving assistance, talking with or colluding in any manner with another/another candidate (s), the entire results of the candidate(s) involved shall be withheld pending the outcome of an investigation by the appropriate Committee of the Council.
(2) Where cases of collusion are detected in the script(s) and/or otherwise established in one paper, the entire results of the candidate(s) involved shall be withheld pending the outcome of an investigation by the appropriate Committee of the Council.
(3) Where a candidate is proved to have colluded with/another candidate (s) in more than one paper/subject, the entire results of the candidate(s) involved shall be withheld pending the outcome of an investigation by the appropriate Committee of the Council.
4. IMPERSONATION
(1) Where a person is found impersonating a candidate, he/she shall be handed over to the Police for prosecution. The bona fide candidate, if apprehended, shall also be handed over to the Police for prosecution.
(2) The entire results of the candidate being impersonated and those of the impersonator, if he/she is also a candidate for the examination, shall be withheld pending the outcome of an investigation by the appropriate Committee of the Council.
(3) Both the impersonator and the impersonated shall also be barred from taking any examination conducted by the Council for a period of not less than 2 years.
The Council also reserves the right to publish the names of persons so barred.
5. FOREKNOWLEDGE
(1) Where a case of foreknowledge in a subject(s) is established at a centre, the entire results of the candidates offering the subject(s) involved at the centre shall be withheld pending the outcome of an investigation by the appropriate Committee of the Council.
(2) Where it is established that a case of foreknowledge occurred and any examination official(s), connived at, aided and/or encouraged the foreknowledge, the appropriate sanction(s) shall be meted out on all who are found culpable, by the appropriate Committee of the Council.
(3) Where it is established that the school authorities condoned, connived at, and/or encouraged the case of foreknowledge, the school shall be de-recognised in accordance with Rule 7.
6. LEAKAGE
Where it is established that leakage has occurred and any examination official(s) connived at, aided and/or encouraged the leakage, the appropriate sanction(s) shall be meted out on all who are found culpable by the appropriate Committee of the Council.
7 . MASS CHEATING
(1) Where mass cheating in a subject(s) at a centre is established, the entire results of the candidates at the centre shall be withheld pending the outcome of an investigation by the appropriate Committee of the Council.
(2) Where mass cheating is established in more than one subject taken at a centre, the following shall apply:
(a) in the case of schools, a report shall be made to the Ministry of Education or the appropriate Board for disciplinary action to be taken against the person(s) responsible.
(b) the school shall be de-recognised for a period not less than 1 year.
(c) the school concerned may be required to pay penalty fees in addition to prescribed fees for the supervision and invigilation of the examination before the examination begins.
(d) in the case of public centres, the Council shall take appropriate action.
(e) notwithstanding (b) above, recognition may be restored upon a
written assurance from the administering authority of the school that the necessary requirements have been satisfied. Such assurance shall contain details of measures taken to ensure the satisfactory conduct of the examination, and those which shall be put in place subject to acceptance by the Council. Recognition, however, will only be restored after at least 1 year of de-recognition.
(3) Where mass cheating is established in three (3) or more subjects taken at a centre, the school’s/public centre’s recognition shall be withdrawn.
Recognition of the school/public centre may be restored upon re-inspection and a written assurance that necessary measures have been put in place to forestall such occurrence. The school after serving at least 5 years of the sanction, may begin a new process of recognition and a new centre number shall be given to the school.
8. INSULT/ASSAULT ON SUPERVISORS/INVIGILATORS/SCHOOL OFFICIALS/ INSPECTORS
(1) Where a candidate insults or assaults a supervisor/invigilator/school official/inspector in the lawful performance of his/her duties inside or outside the examination hall, or in any other way disturbs the conduct of the examination, the entire results of the candidate shall be withheld pending the outcome of an investigation by the appropriate Committee of the Council. The candidate shall also be barred from taking any examination conducted by the Council for a period not less than 2 years. In addition, he/she may be handed over to the Police for prosecution.
(2) Where a candidate brings into the examination hall or uses anything including firearms, or chemical substances with intent to cause injury, temporary or permanent incapacity to any authorised person in the examination hall including other candidates, the entire results of the candidate shall be withheld pending the outcome of an investigation by the appropriate Committee of the Council. In addition, the candidate shall be barred for a period of not less than 2 years from taking any examination conducted by the Council.
(3) Where a school official(s) insult(s) or assault(s), incite(s)/instigate(s) the assault on an examination official(s) before, during or after the examination, such school(s) shall be de-recognised for a period not less than 2 years.
(4) Where such assault in 8(3) causes injury (temporary or permanent) on the official(s), such school’s recognition shall be withdrawn. The school shall be required to pay the cost of treatment of the injured examination official(s).
(5) Without prejudice to Rule 8(3), where the Proprietor of the school is found to be involved in the assault, the recognition of the school shall be withdrawn.
(6) Sanctions for Rules 8(1)- (5) above, shall not preclude legal action being taken against the offender(s) by the Council or affected individual(s).
9. CONTRAVENTION OF INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
(1) Where a candidate, in contravention of the instructions to candidates, writes with a pencil instead of ink or shades with ink instead of pencil, the following shall apply:
(a) where it is confirmed that this is the only examination malpractice the candidate is involved in, the result of the subject involved shall be withheld pending the outcome of an investigation by the appropriate Committee of the Council.
(b) where it cannot be immediately confirmed that this is the only examination malpractice the candidate is involved in, the entire results of the candidate shall be withheld pending the outcome of an investigation by the appropriate Committee of the Council.
(2) Where a candidate fails to complete the cover page of his/her answer booklet as specified in the instructions, the following shall apply:
(a) where it is confirmed that this is the only examination malpractice the candidate is involved in, the result of the subject involved shall be withheld pending the outcome of an investigation by the appropriate Committee of the Council.
(b) where it cannot be immediately confirmed that this is the only examination malpractice the candidate is involved in, the entire results of the candidate shall be withheld pending the outcome of an investigation by the appropriate Committee of the Council.
10. MULTIPLE REGISTRATIONS/REGISTRATION OF UNQUALIFIED CANDIDATES
(1) Where a candidate is involved in multiple registrations for the same diet of examination and investigations reveal that the candidate sat the examination in more than one centre, the candidate’s entire results shall be withheld pending the outcome of an investigation by the appropriate Committee of the Council.
(2) Where a Head of school(s) or it’s official(s) or representative(s) is/are found to have committed any of the offences listed below, before, during or after the conduct of the examination;
(a) registration of non-school/unqualified candidate(s) for School Candidates’ examinations;
(b) fabrication and/or falsification of continuous assessment scores for the affected candidate(s) in (a) above;
a report shall be made to the Ministry of Education or the appropriate Board for disciplinary action to be taken against the person(s) responsible and the school shall be de-recognised for a period not less than 1 year.
(3) the non-school/unqualified candidate(s) who is/are found to be beneficiary(ies) of the school’s breach as described above, shall have his/her/their entire results withheld pending the outcome of an investigation by the appropriate Committee of the Council.
11. DESTRUCTION OF EXHIBITS
Where a candidate is apprehended in the examination hall or within its precincts, committing an offence or aiding another/another candidate (s) to commit an offence, and he/she proceeds to destroy the evidence of his/her offence, his/her entire results shall be withheld pending the outcome of an investigation by the appropriate Committee of the Council.
12. POSTING LIVE QUESTIONS ON THE INTERNET
(1) Where a candidate is found to have posted/received live questions/answers on the internet via social media, his/her entire results shall be withheld pending the outcome of an investigation by the appropriate Committee of the Council.
(2) Where it is found that the live questions were posted by any examination official(s), appropriate sanctions shall be meted out to whoever is found culpable. The matter shall also be reported to the Police for investigation and prosecution.
13. REFUSAL TO GRANT TIMELY ACCESS TO THE SCHOOL PREMISES
Where a school is found to have refused to grant examination official(s) timely access to the school premises/examination hall, the following shall apply:
(1) in the first instance, the school shall be warned.
(2) where another report is received on the same school, the school shall be de-recognised for 2 years.
14. MISCONDUCT OF EXAMINATION OFFICIAL(S)
(1) Where an examination official is found, inside or outside the examination hall with any material relevant to the examination being conducted and which may impugn the conduct of the examination, the examination official shall be handed over to the Police for investigation and prosecution. In addition, he/she shall be formally reported to his/her employer.
(2) Where the school authorities offer bribes to examination officials before, during or after the period of the conduct of examinations, the school shall be de-recognised for 2 years and the relevant conditions in Rule 7 shall apply as appropriate.
15. NEW CASES
As new cases arise, which are not covered by the above rules, the appropriate Committee of the Council shall take necessary action.
16. REVIEW
These rules shall be subject to review as and when necessary.
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