WAEC Advocates Stronger Academic Integrity to Boost Global Competitiveness

Funmi Ogundare and Esther Oluku

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has stressed the importance of strengthening academic integrity in African schools as a critical foundation for achieving educational excellence and enhancing global competitiveness.

The Head of National Office (HNO), Nigeria, Dr. Amos Dangut, stated this at the 2026 Africa Top Schools awards held in Lagos, themed: “The Seamless Arc: Building a High-Integrity Foundation as the Bedrock of Global Tertiary Competition’, which brought together education stakeholders to discuss the role of integrity in shaping future leaders.

In his remarks, Dangut said integrity remains indispensable in the assessment and certification process, noting that credible educational qualifications are essential for global recognition.

Represented by the acting Head of the SPD Printing Division, Akinsola Akinbode, described certificates as more than mere documents, saying they represent a promise of competence and credibility.

“It takes integrity in how we assess, how we measure and how we certify what our students know. A certificate is not just paper; it is a promise. When that promise is broken, the foundation for future success is weakened,” he said.

According to him, integrity-driven assessments are not merely administrative requirements but a national imperative that supports Nigeria’s aspirations for global competitiveness and leadership. He warned that academic dishonesty, if unchecked, could undermine the quality of education and erode public confidence in educational qualifications.

Dangut further noted that assessment systems built on integrity help cultivate habits of excellence, discipline and accountability among students, qualities that are essential throughout their academic and professional lives.

At the event, King’s College Lagos and Queen’s College Lagos, Atlantic Hall, Epe, Nigerian Tulip International Colleges, as well as Marist Brothers Juniorates, Uturu, were honoured with the Africa Top Schools Award and inducted into the Africa Top Schools Hall of Fame in recognition of their outstanding contributions to educational excellence.

Speaking on the significance of the awards, the Founder of Africa Brands Review and Convener of the Africa Top Schools awards, Mr. Joseph Ayodele explained that the initiative was designed to promote integrity within educational institutions, recognise high-performing schools and celebrate best practices across the education sector.

He stated that induction into the Hall of Fame is valid for only two years, after which schools are reassessed to ensure they continue to uphold the required standards.

“The Africa Top Schools Hall of Fame is about global recognition and remains valid for two years. At the end of that period, schools are re-evaluated, and any institution found to be involved in examination malpractice is removed from the Hall of Fame,” he said.

Ayodele added that this year’s edition also featured the launch of the Nigeria Education Wheel of Progress Report (2023–2026) and the Students Talent Hunt competition, both aimed at promoting continuous improvement and innovation within the country’s education system.

It also witnessed the introduction of the ATS 5-star rating platform for schools, as well as launch of the ABR students well-being ambassadors program, and anti-bullying pledge.

Emphasising on the Wheel of Progress Report, the convener stated that it is a learning and reference document which spotlights outstanding academic performance and institutional integrity across the nation.

He reiterated that institutional recognition remains strictly on merit and is never for sale.

“The annual Africa Top Schools Awards cannot be bought,” Ayodele stated. “With the strategic involvement of Google via the prestigious Africa Top Schools Hall of Fame, our screening process has become significantly more rigorous, transparent, and competitive.”

Addressing the logistics of the publication, Ayodele noted that while interested awardees support the publication, the evaluation process itself is completely independent.