The management of The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has withdrawn the approval to conduct examination in thirteen (13) secondary schools and sternly warns 56 others in Kogi State following their alleged involvement in different forms of practices regarded by the examination body as examination malpractice during the 2018 West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) conducted in the state.
This information was made known to the public by in Lokoja on Thursday 14th March, 2019 by the WAEC Desk Officer, Kogi Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Ademu Amos in a meeting with the principals, vice Principals and examination officers of the affected schools.
The thirteen (13) schools affected as announced by Mr. Ademu Amos are as follows:
- Aitam Science Academy, Anyigba;
- National Secondary School, Agala-Ate Road, Anyigba;
- First Grade Success Academy, Okenya;
- Omabo Community Secondary School, Omabo;
- Paramako Secondary School, Ogbogbo;
- Okehi Community Secondary School Uboro, Okehi;
- Bright Future International Secondary School, Obangede;
- Al-Ansar Secondary School, Lokoja;
- Iyale Community Secondary School, Iyale;
- Ikah Community Secondary School, Ikah;
- Government Girls Secondary School, Okaba;
- Christ the King College, Awo-Akpali; and
- Jama’atu Nasril Islam Secondary School, Ankpa
Mr. Ademu Amos stated that the government is saddened by this development and described examination malpractice as a serious issue which is capable of undermining the hope of the nation and should be avoided totally. He remained those in attendance that examination malpractice is a crime which is punishable by law by citing the Examination Malpractices Act No. 33 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which stated that offenders are liable to four years imprisonment and a fine of N100, 000 per student and N250, 000 per school and all school should treat examination malpractice as a crime which it is.
Mr. Ademu Amos highlighted forms of examination malpractice to include the use of mobile phones, impersonation and sameness of work by copying one another in an examination.
The WAEC Branch Controller in the state, Natty Bobai, said that the examination board had zero tolerance for examination malpractice and would do everything to curtail the menace by ensuring that anyone caught in the act is punished accordingly. He took out time to commend the commissioner for tackling issues bordering on examination headlong and commended her resolve to stand with the council in tackling examination malpractice.
The state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Rosemary Osikoya, reiterated the commitment of the state government to reduce examination malpractice to its barest minimum in the state by ensuring that every stringent measures is put in place to wipe out the menace totally. She also stressed the need for stiffer penalties as prescribed by law and other stringent measures to curb the menace in the state. She thereby called on all law enforcement in charge of examination malpractice to ensure that they live up to their expectation squarely.
The commissioner expressed sadness of the recurring nature of these sanctions year in year out by recalling that in 2017 47 secondary schools in the state had their approval withdrawn by WAEC and 108 warned in 2017.
The commissioner urged all the school operators, both private and public, to visit the ministry’s website and update their school profiles and records not later than 31st March, 2019. She stated that all the schools whose approvals are withdrawn by WAEC would not be used as examinations centres in 2019, and their names will be sent to the police for prosecution according to the existing law. She also added that the state is seriously working on measures to strengthen the policy structure in education and emphasized the importance of record keeping in schools.
The State President of All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), Ajole Goswins, expressed disappointment over the re-appearance of some schools on examination malpractice list when speaking on behalf of the principals. The told the principal in attendance to keep their own part of the bargain to complement the efforts of the government in upholding the standard of education in the state. He also used the opportunity to appeal to the government to have a close look into the issue of proliferation of substandard private school in the state to checkmate their activities.
