The Federal Government has ordered all public examination bodies in Nigeria to henceforth ban any student involved in examination malpractice from sitting for any external examinations in the country for at least three years, to serve as a deterrent.
Minister of Education, Dr Olatunji Alausa, who gave the directive, particularly noted that students caught cheating during examinations conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), National Examinations Council (NECO), and National Business and Technical Education Board (NABTEB), among others, should be barred for three years using the instrumentality of the National Identification Number (NIN).
Public Communication Advisor of JAMB, Dr Fabian Benjamin, conveyed this in a statement on Tuesday entitled, “Ministerial Directive Regarding the Menace of ‘Miracle Centres’ in the Education Sector at Secondary School Level”.
He noted that such a stringent measure would serve as a deterrent to other students and parents, explaining that the directive was in accordance with Sections 5(1)(c)(lv) and 6 of the JAMB Act.
The statement read: “JAMB hereby updates its regulations with the following ministerial directives:
“In accordance with Sections 5(1)(c)(lv) and 6 of the JAMB Act, the Hon Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has directed that any school/CBT centre involved in examination malpractice and/or acting as a miracle centre should be derecognised for a number of years. The duration will be determined by the examination body.
“If any school/CBT centre is derecognised by any examination body, other sister examination bodies should follow suit and derecognise the same school/CBT centre for the same number of years, to run concurrently. This will send a very strong signal to operators of these miracle centres.
“Students involved in examination malpractice should be barred from sitting for any external examinations in Nigeria, such as those conducted by WAEC, NECO, and NABTEB, for three years using the instrumentality of NIN. Such a stringent measure will serve as a deterrent to other students and parents.
“This directive is also in accordance with Section 16(2) of the Examination Malpractices Act, which states: ‘An examination body may, in the exercise of its powers under this section, circulate the name of an offending candidate, supervisor, invigilator, official, school, or examination centre to other examination bodies, which may impose similar punishment.’
“This is for the information of the general public, particularly candidates and their parents,” it stated.
Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Education has declared zero tolerance for examination malpractice in the country. The Ministry expressed grave concern over the persistent issue of examination malpractice within the nation’s education system.
Director, Press and Public Relations, Mrs Folasade Boriowo, in a statement on Tuesday lamented that the unethical practice continues to erode the integrity of academic credentials and poses a significant threat to Nigeria’s human capital development.
“In alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, the Ministry reaffirms its unwavering commitment to eliminating all forms of examination malpractice across the country,” she stated.
Boriowo added that the Ministry would actively pursue the prosecution of all offenders, working in close partnership with the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS), and other relevant law enforcement agencies.
She noted that the Examination Malpractice Act of 1999 and other applicable laws provide the legal foundation for these decisive actions.
“The Ministry calls on all stakeholders—students, parents, teachers, school administrators, and the general public—to join in this critical effort to uphold the sanctity of Nigeria’s education system.
“We will work tirelessly to ensure that examinations remain a true measure of knowledge and competence,” the Ministry stated. “Our students deserve a system that rewards merit and prepares them for success in a rapidly evolving global landscape.
“The public is strongly encouraged to report any cases of examination malpractice to the appropriate authorities. Together, we can restore integrity and excellence in our educational institutions,” she stated.
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