The Member of Parliament for Abuakwa South and member of Parliament’s Education Select Committee, Dr. Kingsley Agyemang, has called for a bold rethink of Ghana’s educational assessment system as a long-term solution to the country’s recurring examination malpractice crisis.
Speaking in an interview, Dr. Agyemang said the persistence of exam leakages and misconduct is evidence that the current assessment model is outdated and no longer fit for purpose.
“IT IS WORRYING THAT AFTER SPENDING ABOUT NINE YEARS IN SCHOOL, PUPILS ARE ASSESSED WITHIN JUST THREE HOURS. DON’T YOU THINK WE SHOULD RETHINK OUR ASSESSMENT CRITERIA?” HE ASKED. “UNLESS WE CHANGE THE FRAMEWORK OF ASSESSMENT AND HOW QUESTIONS ARE PRESENTED, MALPRACTICE WILL CONTINUE.”
CCTV Not a Silver Bullet
His comments come in the wake of renewed calls for the installation of CCTV cameras and digital monitoring systems at examination centers nationwide.
While acknowledging that such measures could support monitoring, Dr. Agyemang stressed that they would not tackle the root causes of malpractice.
“Look at the number of exam centers across the country. Even if we install CCTVs, they won’t stop malpractice. At best, they will only record it. After all, if the question-setting system remains predictable, the temptation and opportunity for malpractice will always exist,” he argued.
Instead, he urged policymakers to focus on preventive measures embedded in the design of the exams themselves. For instance, candidates could be presented with varied sets of questions based on the same themes, reducing the possibility of collusion.
A Call for Policy Reform
The Abuakwa South legislator emphasized that the assessment system has remained largely unchanged for decades, despite Ghana’s evolving educational needs. He said examinations continue to overemphasize memorization rather than critical thinking, problem-solving, and practical application of knowledge.
“Society is changing. The workplace is changing. If our schools only teach students to pass a paper in three hours, we are failing them. Assessment must measure holistic learning and not just recall,” he noted.
Dr. Agyemang urged the Ministry of Education, the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), and stakeholders to consider reforms that align assessments with modern education goals, including continuous assessment, project-based evaluations, and skills testing.
Parliament’s Role
He assured that Parliament, through the Education Select Committee, is ready to consider and support proposals aimed at strengthening the integrity of Ghana’s examinations. Budgetary support for reforms, he added, would be more meaningful if directed at systemic change rather than piecemeal surveillance measures.
“Parliament is listening, and we will play our role. But the truth is this: if we don’t rethink assessment policy, we’ll keep discussing malpractice every single year,” he warned.
A Persistent National Concern
Examination malpractice has plagued Ghana’s education sector for decades, with question paper leakages, impersonation, and collusion between candidates and invigilators frequently reported.
These incidents undermine public confidence in the education system and compromise the credibility of certificates issued to students.
Educationists and stakeholders have long debated solutions, ranging from stricter invigilation and technological surveillance to wholesale reforms in how students are tested.
Dr. Agyemang’s intervention adds weight to growing calls for a paradigm shift away from high-stakes, one-off exams towards more comprehensive and diversified assessments.
As the debate continues, the urgency of reform remains clear. Each year, new scandals emerge, putting Ghana’s education system under scrutiny. Whether policymakers will adopt bold reforms or maintain incremental fixes remains to be seen.
