The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has released the 2022 provisional results of both school and private candidates who sat for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

The Council said it would dispatch the results of school candidates to their respective schools through the Metropolitan/Municipal/District Directors of Education.

It added that the results for private candidates can be assessed at the Council's website www.waecgh.org and school candidates who so desire, may also access their results online at the Council's website.

According to WAEC, a total of 552,288 candidates made up of 276,999 males and 275,289 females entered for the school examination.

"This includes 65 candidates with visual impairment, 427 with hearing impairment and 54 candidates with other test accommodation needs. Out of the total number of candidates who entered for the examination, 4,309 candidates were absent," it emphasized.

The statement added that the private candidates recorded a total entry figure of 1,144 candidates, made up of 641 males and 503 females. Out of the number of candidates who entered for the examination, 84 candidates were absent.

The Council said the 33 Meeting of the Final Awards and Examiners' Appointment Committee for the BECE 2022, which was convened on January 24, 2023, had approved the results after investigations were completed into incidences of misconduct discovered during the examinations.

It added that the Council cancelled "the subject results of 416 school candidates and three private candidates for the offence of either bringing foreign materials into the examination hall or colluding with other candidates."

It said Council also withheld the subject results of 38 school candidates pending the conclusion of investigations into various cases of alleged examination malpractice; cancelled the entire results of 73 school candidates and two private candidates for bringing mobile phones into the examination hall and withheld the entire results of 11 school candidates pending the conclusion of investigations into various cases of alleged examination malpractice.

Meanwhile, the Council said, scripts of candidates from 40 schools in certain subjects are undergoing scrutiny and the withheld results of candidates may be cancelled or released based on the outcome of investigations.

The Council advised stakeholders to be wary of fraudsters who promise to upgrade results for a fee, adding that WAEC results are secured and can be authenticated.