Examination Malpractice: Minster Of Education Advocates For 10yrs Ban On Offending Schools And 5Yrs Ban On Students

Worried by the involvement of some schools in abetting exam malpractice during public examinations conducted by West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Examination Council (NECO), the Minister of State for Education, Chief Ezenwo Wike, yesterday canvassed for a 10-year ban for any school found wanting.

According to him, the 10- year ban on any school found wanting during the conduct of public examinations would serve as a deterrent to others noting that schools, teachers, students and even parents would feel the pain of the ban.

He wondered why the exam bodies would sanction schools involved in exam fraud for just two or three years and same for candidates, stressing that 10 years would affect the revenue base of the proprietors/proprietress, teachers would be without salary while the students would be moved to other schools to write the examinations.

Wike also suggested a five- year ban for students engaged in examination fraud adding, "if a school is banned for 10 years, students five years, others will learn from it. It may be harsh, but that is what is required to change the system and the miracle centres will not operate. What is 100 per cent performance claimed by schools when the students can not defend the results."