By Odo Ogenyi,Uyo
The Minister of State for Education, Mr Goodluck Opiah, has said that tackling examination malpractice in the country required the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders.
Opiah made this known at a one-day sensitisation workshop on theme; “Role of Education Stakeholders in Tackling Examination Malpractice in Nigeria” held in Uyo on Monday.
The Minister of State said that the dangerous and negative effect of examination malpractice to the development of the country required all hands to be on deck in order to combat the menace.
He added that such efforts required the total re-orientation in order to engender attitudinal change in the minds of the youths community leaders, parents and teachers as well as those in the position of authority.
“All stakeholders such as teachers, parents even students must show a high level of commitment and honesty.
“Parent should also periodically check the activities of their children and wards, wnsure peoper moarl training and support punishment for offenders. The government must also put in p.ace policy to deter such acts and punish offenders.
“Therefore all hands must be on deck to ensure total eradof examination malpractice at all levels of education in Nigeria,” Opiah said.
In a message, Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom regretted that examination malpractice has become a social plague in Nigeria
and have built a strong defence over the years despite fight against it.
Emmanuel who was represented by state commissioner for education Mrs Idongesit Etiebet said the menace is being fuelled by the social media and blamed parents and school authorities for supporting and aiding their wards and students to be involved in the crime.
The state, the governor said has maintained zero tolerance for examination malpractice with adequate measures put in place to tackle this and has continued to spend at least one billion Naira annually to register students in public schools for internal and external examinations.
He said his administration has increased the construction of laboratories and constructed perimetre fences, deployed security guards and retrained teachers to improve the quality of teaching and learning and reduce examination malpractice in the area.
In his wellcome address, Registrar of NECO Prof Ibrahim Wushishi said the workshop is meant to profer strategies that could be adopted to curb the menace of examination malpractice and reorient the minds of the youths concerning the cankerworm,”as no nation develops when it’s youths indulge in sharp practices such as examination malpractice.”
“No doubt, examination malpractice has the tendency to discourage hard work among serious students, lowers education standard, discredit certificates, and lead to the production of quacks, thereby affecting the manpower needs of the nation.
“We must therefore take collective responsibility to ridthem of this bad habit of wanting to cut corners.” Wushishi said.
Vice Chairman of the Senate committees on basic and secondary education Akon Enyakenyi in her goodwill message commended NECO for spearheading the fight against examination malpractice and pledged the legislative backing off the Senate to strategies and efforts aimed at curing the menace in the country.
Chairman, House of Representatives committee on basic education and services, Prof Julius Ihonvebere expressed disappointment over the increasing menace of examination malpractice in the country but called on stakeholders to deemphasis paper qualification and focus more on practical and technical education as a country without this, “remain on the pathway to destruction”.
