UEW Holds Meeting to Strengthen Exam Integrity
The Directorate of Quality Assurance in partnership with the Office of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor and the Division of Academic Affairs, on Friday, 26th September, 2025, held a post-examination stakeholders review meeting at the North Campus Mini-Conference Room of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW).
The meeting was organised under the theme “Strengthening Examination Management for Quality and Integrity in the University of Education, Winneba.”
The review brought together examination officers from various faculties, deans, heads of department and other key stakeholders to reflect on the conduct of the 2024/2025 second-semester examinations. Faculty examination officers presented reports while participants engaged in thematic discussions that addressed challenges, shared observations and proposed recommendations in areas such as logistics, supervision, policy compliance, infrastructure, health and safety and student support.
Prof. Emma Sarah Eshun, Director of Quality Assurance, underscored the pivotal role examinations play in the life of the University. She noted that beyond teaching and learning, examinations remain the most sensitive component of academic life and therefore require rigorous systems to protect their credibility. According to her, persistent challenges such as logistical lapses, mislabelled booklets, unstamped answer sheets and occasional shortages of materials must be tackled head-on to ensure the integrity of UEW’s examinations.
She stressed that quality in higher education is not about external supervision but about cultivating a culture of responsibility at every level of the institution. “Quality is doing the right thing when no one is watching,” she said. She urged faculties and departments to take ownership of their spaces, resolve issues proactively and adopt international best practices in examination management.
The Director of Quality Assurance further called for stronger collaboration between the Directorate, Academic Affairs and faculty officers to introduce tracking mechanisms, enforce identification systems for invigilators and strengthen security and supervision protocols. “Examination is not just questions and papers; it embodies every facet of the university. We must treat it with the seriousness it deserves,” she emphasised.
Mrs. Shiella Appiah Kubi, Assistant Registrar at the Directorate of Quality Assurance and rapporteur for the session, highlighted key concerns and emerging recommendations from the open forum. She observed that the interventions introduced during last semester had improved examination security and student welfare. These included enhanced patrols by the Security Directorate and the introduction of health desks by the University Health Services at examination centres. These efforts, she noted, reduced theft incidents and improved the emergency response to student health concerns.
However, Mrs. Shiella Appiah Kubi also identified lingering challenges that require urgent attention. She noted that invigilators remained demotivated due to delayed and insufficient allowances as well as the lack of refreshments or basic logistical support during long sessions.
She also pointed out that some students exploited technological gaps by using smartwatches during examinations, a practice that calls for the enforcement of policies requiring the placement of standard wall clocks in examination rooms. She recommended the establishment of a monitoring committee of senior members to support the Directorate of Quality Assurance in ensuring strict compliance during examinations.
Prof. Esther Yeboah Danso-Wiredu, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, who chaired the meeting, expressed her appreciation to the Directorate of Quality Assurance for organising the forum and to all examination officers and faculty leaders for their commitment to ensuring the successful conduct of the semester’s examinations. She noted that the large turnout and active participation demonstrated the importance stakeholders attached to the credibility of UEW’s examination processes.
She acknowledged both the successes and shortcomings identified in the reports and pledged Management’s commitment to addressing them. She assured participants that allowances for invigilators had already been reviewed upwards, moving from session-based payments to hourly rates, as part of efforts to motivate examination personnel. She also promised discussions with the Health Directorate to decouple the issuance of student ID cards from medical examinations to ensure that all students receive IDs before examinations.
On the issue of examination malpractice, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor cautioned lecturers against providing students with “areas of concentration,” which, she explained, often encouraged candidates to smuggle prepared answers into the examination hall. She urged faculty to enforce strict vigilance and adopt innovative supervision strategies to reduce malpractice.
The review meeting concluded with a collective call for all stakeholders to become active custodians of quality. Participants resolved that strengthening examination management at UEW requires not only policies and structures but also a culture of responsibility, vigilance and integrity shared by every member of the University community.
The maiden post-examination review demonstrates UEW’s commitment to transparency, accountability and continuous improvement in its assessment systems. The initiative not only highlighted areas of progress but also mapped out practical steps for enhancing examination management, ensuring that the University continues to uphold the highest standards of quality and integrity in higher education.
