The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Examination Malpractice

  • School proprietors urge action on examination malpractice

    School proprietors urge action on examination malpractice

    President, National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Dr. Yomi Otubela, has urged educators to take proactive measures to curb examination malpractice and uphold the principles of honesty, transparency and accountability.

    He spoke at the virtual teachers’ training workshop organised by NAPPS and Afrikindness UK, with the theme:  “Promoting integrity: Strategies for mitigating examination malpractice in schools”.

    Afrikindness is a non-profit public-benefit organisation with the primary aim of promoting acts of kindness among children and young adults, igniting a desire in them to make a positive impact in their communities.

    Otubela noted that integrity is the cornerstone of any educational system and the key to ensuring a fair and level-playing field for all students, adding that examination malpractice remains a growing concern threatening the credibility and integrity of educational institutions.

    He expressed optimism that the training would provide insights and strategies to effectively mitigate examination malpractice in schools.

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    The NAPPS president noted that collaborative efforts and a collective commitment to promoting integrity were crucial to creating a culture of academic honesty and ethical behaviour among  students.

    “In recent times, the issue of examination malpractice has been a growing concern, threatening the credibility and integrity of our educational institutions. It is imperative that as educators, we take proactive measures to combat this menace and uphold the principles of honesty, transparency, and accountability.

    “Let us work together to instill a sense of integrity and ethical values in our educational system, thereby fostering a generation of young leaders who uphold the highest standards of moral conduct,” he said.

    Chief Executive Officer of Afrikindness, Bunmi Owolabi and other speakers said it was imperative for educators to inculcate in students skills, moral values and emotional intelligence for them to contribute to nation building and development.

    They urged participants to utilise knowledge gained at the workshop.

  • Three teachers, student held for alleged exam malpractice

    The police, in collaboration with West African Examination Council (WAEC), have arrested three teachers and a student for alleged examination malpractice.

    The police said the arrest was carried out by the cybercrime unit of the Force in collaboration with WAEC.

    The suspects are: Ihuokanma Darlington, 36; Ernest Kelechi, 33; Godstime Onuoha, 35 and Uche Chukwuma.

    Darlington, a Political Science graduate of Anambra State University, teaches at Okon Grammar School in Anambra State.

    Kelechi, who is a graduate of Physics from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Akwa, teaches at Community Secondary School, Ogah, while Onuoha is Head of Department (HOD) Mechanical Engineering graduate from Federal Polytechnic, Nekede. He teaches at Pathway Secondary School in Ngor Okpala, Imo State.

    Chukwuma is a student at Charry Secondary School in Rivers State.

    They were arrested in Imo, Anambra and Rivers states.

    The police said the suspects were involved in the transmission of examination questions and answers of the West African Senior Certificate Examination (WASSCE) through the social media.

    Speaking on Thursday at the parade of the suspects at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, the nation’s capital, Force spokesman Frank Mba, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), said they were found to have snapped pictures of the examination questions and their solutions on the social media.

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    Condemning their actions, Mba said: “It is a social ill that the police are working collaboratively with relevant agencies to tackle.

    “The Nigeria Police Force has in its custody four male suspects who were arrested and investigated for the roles they played in directly facilitating examination malpractice in the just-concluded WAEC.

    “Paradoxically, of these four suspects, three are teachers. We find this very disturbing because teachers are supposed to help in nurturing the students and be the custodians of the highest level of ethics in our educational system.

    “They are supposed to protect and strengthen the integrity of the system and play leading roles at ensuring that persons who are issued with certificates are deserving of the honours that go with the certificates.

    “The suspects committed the offence using their phones. This highlights some of the challenges associated with the growing use of the social media and the revolution that comes with information technology.

    “They were transmitting the answers to various questions through the social media, using their smartphones.”

  • WAEC de-recognises 13 schools, warns 56 others in Kogi

    The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has de-recognised 13 secondary schools and warns 56 others in Kogi for their involvement in examination malpractice during the 2018 West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE).

    Mr. Ademu Amos, WAEC Desk Officer, Kogi Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, disclosed this at a meeting with the principals, vice Principals and examination officers of the affected schools on Thursday in Lokoja.

    Amos said that 13 secondary schools were de-recognised while 56 others were seriously warned by the council due to examination malpractice.

    The de-recognised schools include: Jama’atu Nasril Islam Sec. Sch, Ankpa; Christ the King College; Govt. Girls Sec. Sch Okaba; Ikah Comm. Sec. Sch, Ikah; Iyale Comm. Sec. Sch, Iyale and Aitam Science Academy, Anyigba.

    Others are: Al-Ansar Sec. Sch, Lokoja; Bright Future Int. Sec. Sch, Obangede, Okehi; Comm. Sec. Sch, Uboro, Okehi; Paramako Sec. Sch, Ogbogbo; Omabo Comm. Sec. Sch, Omabo.

    Also, First Grade Success Academy, Okenya, and National Sec. Sch, Agala-Ate road, Anyigba.

    He noted that the state government was not happy about the development, describing it as a serious issue that could dampen the hope of a nation.

    According to Amos, the Examination Malpractices Act No. 33 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), offenders are liable to four years imprisonment and a fine of N100, 000 per student and N250, 000 per school.

    Amos explained the major offences committed ranged from the use of mobile phones and sameness of work by copying one another in the examination.

    Dr Natty Bobai, WAEC Branch Controller in the state, said it had zero tolerance for examination malpractice and would do everything to curtail the menace.

    He, however, commended the commissioner for tackling issues bordering on examination headlong and commended her resolve to stand with the council for what it stood for.

    Amos also urged the stakeholders to join hands with the council in stamping out the menace of examination malpractice in the nation’s education sector.

    Mrs. Rosemary Osikoya, Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, reiterated the commitment of the state government to reduce examination malpractice to its barest minimum in the state.

    Osikoya stressed the need for stiffer penalties as prescribed by law and other stringent measures to curb the menace in the state.

    She noted that 47 secondary schools were de-recognised and 108 warned in 2017, while 13 schools were de-recognised and 56 warned in 2018.

    She said the state government had been able to reduce the trend to 27. 6 per cent for de-recognition, 50.9 per cent warned, while 1.38 per cent were indicted.

    She restated the commitment of the state government in restoring standard and quality education in schools across the state.

    She, however, 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 March 31.

    ”All the de-recognised schools will not be used as examinations centres in 2019, and their names will be sent to the police for prosecution according to the existing law.

    ”We have strengthened the policy structure in education in the state and emphasised the importance of record keeping in schools,” Osikoya said.

    Dr Ajole Goswins, the State President of All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), who spoke on behalf of the principals, expressed disappointment over the re-appearance of some schools on examination malpractice list.

    ”The state government is doing its best and we must complement its efforts. We cannot allow this to continue, we must improve on ourselves,’’ he said.

    He, therefore, appealed to the state government to checkmate the proliferation of substandard private schools in the state.

    (NAN)

  • Obaseki orders arrest of teachers over examination malpractices

    Obaseki orders arrest of teachers over examination malpractices

    Some teachers in one of the privately owned primary schools in Edo State have been arrested for allegedly attempting to manipulate the conduct of the Primary School Leaving Certificate examination held across the state yesterday.

    They were arrested on the orders of Governor Godwin Obaseki who paid an unscheduled visit to some schools where the examination held.

    Obaseki was at the schools to ascertain the level of sanity and orderliness during public examinations.

    The governor expressed displeasure over activities noticed at Ologbosere Primary School in Ikpoba Okha Local Government where an official and a private school teacher accompanied their pupils to sit for the primary six examinations.

    Other centres visited by the governor included Ebenezer Primary Schools, Ivbyenova Primary School, St Saviour and George Idah Primary School.

    Obaseki said his visit was part of his quest to reposition basic education with a view to bringing glory back to education

    The governor, who declared that the era of malpractice during examinations was over, wondered why some parents wanted to gain access into the examination venue.

    According to him: “We are bothered about the corruption and malpractices in examination process, as you can see, a lot of parents had to be kept out particularly those from the private schools who may have paid for their children to do well.

    “They wanted access into the schools to be able to influence the process of the exams and they were stopped.

    “I am happy that our officials have done well in ensuring that the standards we require and want to set are met.

    “For the private school teachers who were caught trying to influence the examination, they would face the law as we are going to investigate them and l am sure that the Ministry of Education has its own rules on how to deal with such matters.

    “We decided that we will have the examination for primary six pupils which is a standard exam properly monitored.

    “As a policy, we have decided that this exam should be reorganised and made a lot better and professional.”

    Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mrs. Osayuware Idahosa, said the challenge of shortage of examination materials was mitigated.

  • JAMB assures of smooth conduct of UTME

    JAMB assures of smooth conduct of UTME

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB)  has assured of smooth conduct of the 2017 unified tertiary matriculation examination.
    The Deputy Director, Centre Inspection and Validation, Examination Malpractice, Quality Assurance Department, JAMB Headquarters, Munirat Lawal, gave the assurance during the conduct of the boards mock examination for candidates in Kaduna.
    Over 50 candidates wrote the mock exam at the Kaduna state university Information and Communication Technology centre and other computer based test centres in the state.
    The mock exam was conducted in 633 CBT centres across the country.
    She said all the technical issues relating to the conduct of the examination had been fully resolved by the agency.
    “We have fully resolved all the technical issues. That was why they are able to write the mock examination.
    “We have over 50 candidates sitting for this mock examination in this centre. Actually the centre was slatted for 250 candidates but maybe because it is mock. If it were to be real exam I know they will turn up more than what they did today.
    “We have about 50 and everything went on smoothly. We have two sections and in section we have 250. Assuming they turned up we would have had 500 candidates,” she said.
    A candidate who participated in the mock exam, Zainab Ibrahim, told reporters that she had no issue using the computer for the test.
    She commended the board for the smooth conduct of the mock exam.
    “it was very easy because the questions and arrangement are straightforward. I am just waiting for the real examination in May,” she said.
  • Rector advises students to shun cultism, violence, exam malpractice

    Rector advises students to shun cultism, violence, exam malpractice

    The acting Rector of Federal Polytechnic Auchi in Edo, Dr. Momodu Jimah, on Wednesday warned newly admitted students in the institution to shun cultism, violence, examination malpractice and others vices.

    The rector, who gave the warning at the opening ceremony of 2016/2017 orientation programme for the fresh students, also advised them to avoid indecent dressing.

    He warned that the polytechnic would not hesitate to expel any student found wanting.

    Jimah also admonished the students to imbibe dialogue, peaceful co-existence, discipline and hard work to excel in their academics.

    “You are coming into the polytechnic at the time the institution is undergoing renewal and rebirth.

    “Our aim is to reposition the polytechnic so that both staff and students imbibe the virtues of transparency, truth and hardwork.

    “There are sanctions for breaches of school rules and regulations; there are sanctions for cheating in examinations which may result to rustication or even expulsion of student involved.

    “The institution emphasis is on discipline and learning. We abhor cultism in whatever form and we shun improper dressing.

    “Students must live within the tenets and rules of the polytechnic by ensuring they do not involve themselves in any act of lawlessness and indiscipline,’’ he said.

    The rector assured the students that staff and management of the institution would provide the enabling environment for them to excel.

    Earlier, the Dean of Students Affairs, Mr Godwin Okpeduo said that the institute was known for its uncompromising and sustained policy of zero tolerance to social vices and academic dishonesty.

    “The polytechnic will not condone actions which contravene its regulations or behaviours that portray the image of the polytechnic in bad light,’’ he said.

  • Lagos holds book expo 

    Lagos State Commissioner for Education Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye has opened the 5th Lagos Book Expo aimed at broadening the horizon of Nigerian youth through reading.

    The book fair, organised by Lagos Television at its Combo Hall in Ikeja, was attended by former Governor Lateef Jakande, students and  stakeholders in the education sector.

    Mrs Oladunjoye, represented by the Director of Administration and Finance in the Ministry, Mrs Ebun Oladimeji, said the development was necessary to help revive the dwindling reading culture in the country.

    Permanent Secretary, Lagos Television, Lekan Ogunbanwo said the fair was meant to widen the horizon of youths and others to reading.

    ”Without books, we cannot acquire knowledge and we will not know new areas of discoveries. We believe we need to contribute our quota to this book fair. The theme is ‘Read to Widen your Horizon. The fair will be an opportunity to buy new books for you library,” he said.

    In her keynote address on Eradicating Examination Malpractice in Nigeria, the Director, Dansol Schools, Mrs Adunola Akinyemiju decried the high rate of examination malpractice in the country.

    ”In the Nigerian situation, it has become a serious problem in our educational system which is so painful to me as a person and makes me weep because of the negative effect it has on this generation.

    “Examination malpractice in Nigeria is a phenomenon which has eaten deep as a canker worm that needs to be treated,” she said, adding that urgent step must be taken to address the malaise.

    Akinyemiju listed the causes of examination malpractice to include overcrowding in classrooms, lack of teaching aid, laboratory equipment, libraries to expose students to proper learning; inadequate teachers, love of money by teachers and invigilators and the Nigerian factor.

    She added that examination malpractice would bring guilt, destroy the next generation, leads to armed robbery/cultism, wastage, stealing, disacreditation of Nigerian certificates abroad and depletion of the workforce.

    According to her, examination malpractice could be eradicated by ensuring discipline; encouraging teachers, invigilators and others to maintain integrity; changing public examination system into internet-based tests; career counseling, the fear of God, among others.

    “Religious leaders should look seriously into this problem by interviewing some of the children in their churches and mosques to find out how they got their certificates.

    It will surprise them to know that 70 per cent of those testimonies were as a result of cheating. There is no religion that supports falsehood, cheating and stealing.

    ”On finding out, it should be dealt with through preaching, counseling and ensuring that it stops. Those that did it need restoration and on-coming ones can still be helped,” she stated.