WAEC-Liberia Boss Warns Against Exam Fraud as Senior Students Kick Off National Exam Across Liberia

Monrovia, Liberia: The Head of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) Liberia Office, Dale Gbotoe, has issued a strong warning to candidates sitting the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), urging them to refrain from all forms of examination malpractice.

By: Emmanuel P. George Sr.

His caution comes as thousands of Liberian students join their counterparts across the West African sub-region in taking the regional examination, which serves as a critical requirement for admission to tertiary institutions and other educational opportunities.

Speaking via radio on Monday, June 1, 2026, examinations, Mr. Gbotoe identified examination malpractice as one of WAEC's greatest challenges and disclosed that the Council has instituted measures to safeguard the integrity of the examination process.

"Examination malpractice remains WAEC's biggest challenge. We have put into place measures that we cannot explain to the public to curb examination malpractice," he said.

The WAEC-Liberia boss also cautioned candidates against relying on examination questions and answers circulating on social media, describing many of the materials as fake and misleading.

"Not all that glitters is gold. I urge students not to rely on fake materials circulating on social media," Mr. Gbotoe warned.

According to him, WAEC-Liberia has strengthened its monitoring and security mechanisms to detect and prevent fraudulent activities during the examination period.

He stressed that the Council is committed to ensuring a fair and transparent process in which candidates are assessed solely on their academic preparation and abilities.

Gbotoe encouraged students to trust the knowledge and skills they have acquired throughout their years of study rather than seeking unfair advantages through dishonest means.

He noted that examination malpractice undermines the credibility of the educational system and could attract severe penalties, including the cancellation of results and other disciplinary actions.

Meanwhile, Dale Gbotoe warned students and school authorities against engaging in "camping" activities, a practice in which candidates are gathered at unauthorized locations and allegedly coached using leaked examination materials shortly before or during examinations.

Describing the practice as a serious violation of WAEC regulations, he warned that schools found participating in camping activities risk severe sanctions.

"Schools caught engaging in camping activities will first be advised to desist. However, if they continue, we will cancel the entire school's results," he stated.

In a related development, the WAEC official cautioned schools against collecting unauthorized flexibility fees from students under the pretext of providing examination-related services.

He said institutions found imposing such fees could face disciplinary measures from the relevant authorities.

The WAEC Liberia Head reaffirmed WAEC's commitment to maintaining the highest standards of transparency, fairness, and credibility throughout the conduct of the 2026 WASSCE.

He called on parents, teachers, school administrators, and students to work collectively to ensure a malpractice-free examination environment that upholds the integrity of Liberia's educational system and the credibility of the WASSCE certificate across the region.

The 2025 WASSCE in Liberia kicked off on June 1, 2026 and will run to the June 19, 2026.

WAEC Liberia has earlier announced that over 50,000 senior students from 1,126 high schools across Liberia will sit the 2026 National exam.

The West African Senior School Certificate Examination remains one of the region's most important academic assessments, providing successful candidates with qualifications required for admission to universities and other institutions of higher learning.