The Head of Public Affairs at the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), John Kapi has disclosed that 86 mobile devices have been seized from candidates writing the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

In an interview with Joy FM's Top Story on Friday, he stated that the incident involving the confiscation of phones took place at Otoo Memorial SHS in Bibiani in the Western North.

“At Otoo Memorial School in Bibiani, we picked up 86 mobile phones from the candidates,” he said.

According to him, intelligence indicated that the candidates were asked to go to the exam halls with their phones so they are reached on it since the rogue websites are unable to access questions from WAEC.

Mr. Kapi noted that the scripts of the candidates found to be carrying cell phones would be cancelled.

He added that the subject results of candidates found with photocopies of questions will also be cancelled as well.

He further stated that supervisors arrested over the malpractices will also be made to face the law.

WAEC is dissatisfied with the numerous malpractices in the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), including electronic smuggling, paper leakage, and script impersonation among others.

The National Intelligence Bureau and the Police have busted hundreds of students with foreign materials, impersonators, and invigilators aiding an exam or practice cartel trading questions for various sums of money.

The Exam Council says they are identifying numerous malpractices and categorising them to identify students, teachers, and supervisors involved in the cartel.

Speaking at a press briefing on the conduct of the 2023 WASSCE for school candidates, Mr Kapi said: “We are actually taking a tally of them. Each day comes with a certain number. The numbers are so overwhelming, we are trying to categorise them. And so for now, will not be able to give you a round figure, but you can be sure that the numbers, you know, are quite big.

“We've mentioned Otoo Memorial SHS, we've mentioned Mountain High SHS, we've mentioned Adu Gyamfi SHS, we’ve mentioned Only Believe SHS, we're mentioning Christian IPS, and we’ve mentioned Ideal College.

“So there are still a lot more reports that are coming in. Every day we get reports and each time we have to sit down and synthesize all of these so that we can place them in the appropriate categories.”