The West African Examination Council, WAE, says it has recognized 56 rogue website operators concerned in examination malpractice for the reason that begin of its ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCE, for college candidates.
The Head, National Office, HNO, of council, Patrick Areghan, disclosed this on the sidelines of a monitoring train he carried out in some faculties in Lagos on Thursday.
He additionally mentioned that no fewer than 20 college officers, allegedly aiding and abetting examination malpractices, had to this point been arrested and handed over to the Police.
“There have been issues like candidates copying in the examination hall, some examiners dictating or writing on the chalkboard for candidates, smuggling materials in and out of the hall and other forms of collusion.
“But, most worrisome too, is the issue of rogue websites.
“Now, let me tell you confidently that so far, we have identified 56 of these rogue website operators and those who patronise them, and we are going to pick them up.
“The materials that candidates see on these rogue websites are all fake, as most times, the operators resort to photoshopping.
“They can just superimpose 2023 on top of a paper of 2020 and use it to deceive them.
“By the time they get to the examination hall, they become blank, as everything will become strange to them,” he mentioned.
Mr Areghan mentioned that the council had compiled the variety of arrests made everywhere in the nation to this point and would guarantee justice was served.
He famous that the council had an excellent working relationship with the Inspector-General of Police and different army formations within the nation.
The WAEC boss said that examination malpractice was as previous as schooling itself, everywhere in the world, stressing that this didn’t imply that residents ought to take pleasure in any type of it.
He referred to as on Ministries of Education, governments and faculties to reside as much as their accountability in saving the schooling system from imminent collapse.
“Governments should ensure that they provide teaching facilities, such as laboratories, libraries and a host of others.
“They should also recruit adequate and qualified teachers and get these schools well monitored and supervised to ensure that the children are being taught well.
“”The principals alternatively should be certain that they preserve absolute self-discipline and in addition be certain that the academics train.
“They must also ensure that the syllabus is covered. Every school must have at least two copies of the WAEC syllabus and every teacher, a copy.
“We even encourage candidates to buy their own copies so that they will know what they are supposed to be taught.’’
To parents, he advised: “ Parents should get children equipped with necessary materials.
“Get them books and encourage them to go to school.
“Stop funding illegalities for them especially by paying to get examination questions that are nonexistent. They must not be the ones to mislead and destroy the future of their children.
“It is time to sanitise the education system of this country.’’
He reiterated the importance of education.
“I have said it over and over again. Education is the bedrock of society.
“It is the vehicle to development.
“The quality of assessment in any nation determines the quality of education and the quality of education determines the level of development and the quality of that country,” he mentioned.
According to him, when one destroys schooling then every thing within the nation has been destroyed.
He mentioned all palms should, subsequently, be on deck to get it proper.
Meanwhile, Badejo Morenike, the Principal of Immaculate Heart Comprehensive High School, one of many faculties visited, lauded the WAEC boss for his relentless efforts within the battle in opposition to examination malpractice within the nation.
He mentioned that it was the correct step in the correct course, within the nation’s quest for accelerated growth.
He famous that solely arduous work was the best way out to a secure and progressive nation, including that the college would proceed to stay to educational excellence and nothing much less, in a bid to make sure high quality was sustained.
Schools visited for the monitoring are, ST and T in Ikeja, Ikeja Senior High School in addition to State Senior High School amongst others.
NAN
