The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has warned schools, principals, supervisors and invigilators against extorting candidates sitting the ongoing 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), describing the practice as illegal and a threat to the credibility of the examination.

In a statement issued on Monday by its Head of Public Affairs, Moyosola Adesina, the examination body said it had received reports of candidates being compelled to pay unauthorised fees under various guises, including transportation of examination scripts, welfare packages and so-called cooperation charges.

WAEC also condemned instances where schools allegedly demanded payment for KAPEK calculators supplied free of charge to candidates.

The council directed school proprietors, principals, supervisors and invigilators to immediately cease collecting money from candidates or their parents for any purpose related to the conduct of the examination.

It urged candidates and members of the public to report cases of extortion to its zonal coordinators, branch controllers or designated official email addresses.

“WAEC condemns these practices as illegal, unethical and a direct threat to the integrity of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination,” the council said.

According to the statement, individuals or institutions found engaging in such practices risk sanctions, including derecognition of schools, blacklisting, prosecution and referral to relevant authorities for disciplinary action.

The warning comes as the 2026 WASSCE for school candidates enters its final stages. The examination, which began with practical papers on April 21, is expected to conclude on June 19.

About 1.96 million candidates from more than 24,000 schools registered for this year’s examination, which features an expanded computer-based testing model introduced to curb examination malpractice and improve transparency.

WAEC said it had put measures in place to ensure the smooth conduct of the remaining papers and reiterated its commitment to protecting the integrity of the examination process.

The council had earlier warned candidates, supervisors and schools against involvement in examination malpractice, stressing that offenders would face severe penalties.

Recent concerns over the conduct of the examination have included allegations of extortion, logistical challenges and complaints about the welfare of candidates in some centres.

WAEC said it remains committed to safeguarding the credibility of its examinations and urged parents, schools and candidates to report irregularities through the appropriate channels.