By Makutu Manneh
The Minister of Basic and Secondary Education, Dr. Habibatou Drame, has said that while incidents of malpractice were recorded during this year’s Grade 12 examinations, there is no confirmed evidence of exam paper leakages.
Speaking at a ministerial town hall meeting on August 30, 2025, Minister Drame stressed that the ministry’s findings point to examination malpractice rather than the circulation of leaked papers.
“As at this point, we are not able to confirm any leakage of the grade 12 exam; what we have found is examination malpractice, and again, I and you don’t have control over that,” she told participants.
She explained that some individuals had alleged leakages, but she has requested concrete evidence to substantiate those claims, “because in this life, no matter what you do, people will find ways to be deceitful. That is the reality,” she noted.
According to the minister, some candidates attempted to cheat using smartwatches, while others resorted to writing potential answers on their bodies. She emphasized that when such individuals are caught, they are subjected to due disciplinary processes for examination malpractice.
“So to tell you what happened during the grade 12 exam, there were malpractices, and we are going through the appropriate processes, and at the end of the processes, we will deal with the cases as recommended to us,” Drame said.
The minister further underscored the ministry’s commitment to safeguarding the credibility of national examinations, stressing the need for stronger preventive measures. “What we can do as a sector is to put in very strong mechanisms to avoid the leakage of exam papers,” she concluded.