WAEC to publish names of students, schools involved in exam malpractice

THE West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has been advised to start publishing names of students and schools as well as supervisors and invigilators caught or proved to have aided malpractice during the West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) in Nigeria.

Nigeria Examinations Committee (NEC), the highest decision making organ for the council on examination-related matters in the country, gave the advice at its 66th general meeting held in Lagos early this month.

According to the committee, the publishing of such names will dent the image of persons and institutions involved and serve as deterrence for others.

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The Head of Public Affairs of WAEC in Nigeria, Mr. Demianus Ojijeogu, who disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Lagos, said the advice was necessitated by increasing rate of malpractices in the council’s examinations despite efforts of WAEC in the fight against the menace.

Ojijeogu particularly mentioned cases of impersonation, especially during the April/May edition of the council’s examinations, saying the rate is alarming and worrisome.

That is why, according to him, the committee wants the school principals and every other stakeholder to rise against the trend and prevent it from degenerating further.

It also wants the ministry of education in each state to nominate only teachers with integrity as examination supervisors.

While also disclosing that the committee had approved various sanctions for categories of proven examination fraud and those who aid and abet them, Ojijeogu said schools and students proven to have engaged in malpractice in the last examination would be delisted and banned from taking future examinations for a reasonable number of years, which he did not mention.

Ojijeogu added that the council had also approved that the entire results or some subjects of candidates involved in malpractice in both the January/February and April/May diets of this year’s private candidates’ examination should be cancelled as applicable.