The proverbial saying that 99 days for the thief, one day for the owner is a clear message that the National Examinations Council is willing to pass across to those who facilitate and participate in examination malpractice at all cost.
Incidences of examination fraud have reached their peak and the council has promised to root out this ugly situation from the examination halls and centers across the federation.
To this end, the council has made arrangements to deploy officials of the Department of State Services and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps to examination centres.
This position was made known to newsmen in a statement on Monday, by the Registrar /Chief Executive of the body, Professor Ibrahim Wushishi.
The Registrar made this known at a one-day sensitisation workshop on examination malpractice in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
Talking on the theme: “The Role of Education Stakeholders in Tackling Examination Malpractice in Nigeria,” the Professor said there was urgent need to cut back the problem and to ensure transparency in the process.
“One of the biggest challenges bedeviling the conduct of public examinations now is the issue of examination malpractice. This workshop is therefore both thoughtful and timely, and should address the ways and means that can be adopted to curb the menace and re-orient the minds of the youths concerning this cankerworm, as no nation develops when its youths indulge in sharp practices such as examination malpractice.”
“No doubt, examination malpractice has the tendency to discourage hard work among serious students, lowers educational standards, discredit certificates, and lead to the production of quacks, thereby affecting the manpower needs of the nation.
“We must therefore take collective responsibility to rid them of this bad habit of wanting to cut corners,” he said.
He added that the Council has perfected several plans to check the problem of malpractice in the conduct of all its examinations.
He listed the measures to include; “Effective conduct of accreditation and re-accreditation exercise in schools, biometric data capturing of candidates to check impersonation of candidates registered for examination and to help identify ‘miracle centres’ where examination malpractice are perpetrated.
“This gives the teachers the feedback on their instructional processes. Evidence has shown the increasing incidence of examination malpractice by students and learners at all levels and this conflicts with the aim of education.”
“The various forms of examination malpractices such as impersonation, smuggling of foreign materials into the exam hall, external assistance, and others in a bid to help students pass their examinations lead to poor quality of learners who cannot defend the certificates obtain” he noted.
“This sensitisation programme will help portray the ills of examination malpractice and create awareness on the need to fight against all forms of malpractices.
“All stakeholders such as teachers, parents, and even students must show a high level of commitment and honesty. Parents should also periodic assessments of the activities of their children and wards to ensure proper moral training, support and punishment for where appropriate.
“The government must also put in place a policy to deter such acts and punish offenders,” he said.
