Exam Malpractice: WAEC axes 50 schools in Oyo State

Reactions are trailing the delisting of some secondary schools in Oyo State by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).

News has it that no fewer than fifty (50) secondary schools in the State have been affected. The schools were delisted after the recently conducted examination

The affected schools according to the list made available to newsmen included; Olodo Community Grammar School, Olodo Ibadan, Community High School, Kasumu Ajia, Ilupeju Community High School, Alugbo, Osegere Olukeye Community High School, Osegere, Idi-Ito High School, Erunmu, Owo Community Grammar School, Owo, Progressive Secondary Grammar School, Community Secondary School, Oke-Olola, Oyo, Community Grammar School, Kajorepo and Community High School, Ajase/Jabata, Ogbomoso.

Others also on the list are; Anglican/ Methodist Secondary School 1, Ajagba, Oyo, Isepo/Ogidi Community Grammar School, Isepo, Ireti-Ogo Baptist College, Igboho, Biokun Alaadun Community Grammar School, Ibadan, Lagbulu Memorial High School, Kisi, Urban Day Grammar School, Old Ife Road, Ibadan, Urban Day Grammar School, Ring Road, Ibadan, Ansar-Ud-Deen High School, Sango, Ibadan, Ikolaba High School, Agodi GRA, Ibadan and Renascent High School, Aremo, Ibadan.

Others are; Ori-Aje Community Secondary School, Kudeti, Ibadan, Anglican Grammar School, Molete, Ibadan, Community Secondary School, Adegbayi, Ibadan, Community Secondary School, Bioku Alaadun, Ibadan, Adekile Goodwill Grammar School, Ibadan, Lagelu Grammar School, Ibadan, Ola-David Comprehensive College, Badeku, Ibadan, Mount Sinai College, Adegbayi, Ibadan, Temidire Oxford College, Monatan, Ibadan and Ibadan City Model College, Iyana Church, Ibadan.

Other schools on the list are; Mollyvonne College, Isale Igbajo, Tede, God’s Blessing College, Oyo, Graceland College, Moniya, Ibadan, Honeycomb Comprehensive College, Olukeye town, Asejire, Ibadan, I-Flier College, Ogungbade Road, Ibadan, Sure Foundation Model High School, Aba Titi, Ibadan, International Muslim College, Saki, Life Line Comprehensive High School Olopometa, Olorunsogo, Ibadan, Temidire Model School Igidogba Babanla Ibadan and Glorious College, Amuloko, Ibadan.

Last on the list are; Igboora Secondary School, Igboora, Nawair-Ud-deen Grammar School, Igboora, Damcos College, Molete, Ibadan, Benevolent College, Molete, Ibadan, Sheikh Ibrahim Model College, Ibadan, Ayobami Comprehensive High School, Odo Oba, Ibadan, Ayobami International College, Ibadan, Bolade Model College, Owode, Shafaudeen Comprehensive College, Wakajaye, Ibadan and Patimo College, Adesola, Ibadan.

Nonetheless, this action has evoked a lot of emotions. A cross section of people are divided over the reasons why exam malpractice has continued to wax on for so long in the affected areas.

One parent who identified herself simply as Olaitan faulted societal and moral decay for the spate of state of affairs in the education system. “There is nothing that concerns the government on this. We have both public and private schools that were affected. If the government is to be blamed for the abnormality or examination malpractices in public schools, then can we also blame the government for what happened in private schools?

“We even have schools that are established by religious bodies. Who are the principals or heads of those schools? Are they not Muslims or Christians? It shows the level we found ourselves in the country”.

Another parent, Adeolu urged the State government to take drastic steps to avoid future occurrences. “ There is nothing that concerns the government on this. We have both public and private schools that were affected. If the government is to be blamed for the abnormality or examination malpractices in public schools, then can we also blame the government for what happened in private schools?”.

He said that all stakeholders must be blamed for what happened. He said, “We cannot totally blame the government, everyone is involved. The government must take drastic measures to avoid future occurrences.

“Parents and guardians must also take drastic measures to discourage their wards from examination malpractices. It is the responsibility of the students themselves to shun examination malpractices.

“So, it is the responsibility of all stakeholders. We must put a stop to this menace for us to move forward in Oyo State. We are known as a pacesetter State and we must continue to uphold the standard”.

Reacting, Oyo state government maintains that it has zero tolerance for examination malpractice. The government said that principals and parents of recently delisted schools would be sanctioned for the embarrassment.

Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Barrister Abiodun Abdu-Raheem, issued this warning in Ibadan. In a statement made available to journalists in Ibadan, the commissioner said the State government would sanction both the principals and parents found wanting.

“It should be noted that, the Oyo State Government has zero tolerance for examination malpractices, therefore, Principals and Teachers of both Private and Public Schools and parents were earlier warned to desist from any act of collaboration on examination malpractices as sanctions would be meted to concerned staff and parents.

“It should be noted that the Government of Oyo State will waste no time to investigate any such occurrence, while the necessary punishments as enumerated above will be meted to anyone found guilty,” he said.