Ghana bribery concerns and exam reforms

In early August 2026, Ghana’s education sector faced heightened scrutiny after allegations of widespread bribery in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). Teachers and parents called for a shift to criterion‑referenced grading, while private‑school groups demanded a forensic audit and the release of raw scores. The Education Minister urged the public to report any cash‑for‑placement or recruitment bribes, and investigators uncovered candidates hiding cash in answer booklets, prompting the West African Examinations Council to cancel hundreds of results and launch a large‑scale malpractice probe.

Later the same day, a six‑monthly governance survey released by the Ghana Statistical Service showed that bribery in public services had risen, with 18 % of respondents reporting having paid a bribe in the second half of 2025, up from 14.3 % earlier in the year. The survey also noted an increase in officials demanding extra payments. While overall governance indicators had improved since 2024, everyday experiences of corruption were worsening, underscoring that the BECE scandal was part of a broader pattern of corruption across Ghana’s public sector.