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A teacher serving as an examiner for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) is in the custody of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) following allegations that the examiner went door-to-door soliciting money from parents in exchange for facilitating opportunities for their children to rewrite examinations.
ACC Commissioner Francis Ben Kaifala disclosed the case during a Special Edition of the Government Civic Town Hall organised by the Ministry of Information and Civic Education on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, at the Miatta Civic Conference Centre in Freetown.
Kaifala said WAEC reported the examiner to the ACC after the teacher allegedly visited parents at their homes and requested money in return for giving their children access to rewrite examinations.
The allegation emerged as authorities and education stakeholders discussed the growing threat of examination malpractice and its implications for the credibility of Sierra Leone’s education system.
Kaifala described examination malpractice as a serious and organised challenge, saying his experience with the problem dates back to 2018, shortly after he assumed office at the ACC.
He recalled an incident in which students were allegedly found sitting public examinations at about 10:00 p.m. in an examination hall in Aberdeen. According to him, the examination papers were later compiled into examination packages and taken to WAEC.
The ACC Commissioner said the scale of examination malpractice has involved what he described as coordination among teachers, school authorities, parents, pupils and some examination officials.
He attributed the persistence of the practice partly to pressure from parents who, according to him, increasingly view educational qualifications as a gateway to privileges, opportunities and future success for their children.
Meanwhile, WAEC Head of Public Affairs Sallieu Kamara confirmed that the examination body handed the teacher over to the ACC for investigation.
Kamara also rejected allegations that WAEC leaks examination papers in advance, insisting that the examination body maintains its integrity and does not condone malpractice.
He said WAEC would expose any staff member found involved in examination malpractice, stressing that nobody is above the law.
Kamara further disclosed that WAEC, the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education and the Sierra Leone Teachers Union have issued a joint communique against examination malpractice.
He cited a 2024 incident in which an examiner was allegedly caught copying directly from a marking scheme and was subsequently reported to the ACC.
The disclosure of the examiner’s alleged door-to-door solicitation of parents has added to growing concerns over the methods being used by individuals to facilitate examination malpractice and undermine the credibility of public examinations.
The authorities have continued to warn that those found culpable will face sanctions as Government and education stakeholders intensify efforts to protect the integrity of Sierra Leone’s examination system.
