You won’t be spared if malpractice occurs in your schools, WAEC warns principals, school owners

Ahead of the commencement of this year’s May\June West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) next Monday nationwide, principals of public schools and the private school owners have been cautioned not to involve in or encourage any form of malpractice during the examinations.

They were told that as far as the conduct of the examination is concerned, they are in charge in their respective schools and therefore to be held responsible for any record of good or bad practice while the examinations lasted.

The Head of National Office, WAEC Nigeria, Mr Patrick Areghan, gave the warning in Lagos during a two-day briefing organised by the examining body to discuss the “do’s and don’ts” expected of every principal, supervisor and other exam official concerning the conduct of the school-based examination.

A similar discussion was held concurrently between Tuesday and Wednesday at various other locations across the country.

A total of 1,607, 975 students across 20, 221 schools are expected to sit the this year’s WASSCE nationwide.

Areghan, at the forum, said the essence of the annual interaction was to prepare principals and private school owners and other officials well for the conduct of the exam so as to have a hitch-free and credible exercise.

Addressing participants at Government College, Agege, Lagos, Mr Areghan, who was represented by the Deputy Registrar\Zonal coordinator, WAEC, Ikeja, Dr Amos Dangut, asked participants to ensure they comply strictly with the rules, regulations and procedures guiding the conduct of the exam.

According to him, every principal is the host and chief security officer of their respective school during the exam while the supervisor is in charge of exam materials, distribution and other duties in the exam halls and each side is expected to strive by all means to conduct the successful and credible exam.

While principals are expected to provide conducive exam halls, educate their students on acceptable behaviour as well as oversee the entire process, supervisors are responsible to implement all the rules and regulations in and out of the exam halls including overseeing the invigilators, all for a credible exam.

Areghan said the council frowns at malpractice and would not in any way tolerate the practice by anyone no matter how highly place the person may be, adding that anyone found wanting in this regard will not be spared from the wrath of the law.

He said WAEC’s target is to bring cases of malpractice in all its exams in Nigeria to the barest minimum now and to zero level in the near future.

He said WAEC expected schools to have covered the syllabus and prepared their students well for the exam.

“So, we expect all the principals, supervisors as well as invigilators and even the students to comport themselves well for the good of the exam, the education sector and Nigeria as a whole. We need to get things right as a country and its,” he stressed.  (Nigerian Tribune)