Opiah calls for collaborative efforts to tackle exam malpractice
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 to combat the menace.
Opiah said this in his speech while declaring open a one-day sensitisation workshop on the theme; “Role of Education Stakeholders in Tackling Examination Malpractice in Nigeria” held in Uyo on Monday.
He that the sensitisation programme would help portray the ills of examination malpractice and create awareness of the need to fight against all forms of malpractice.
He added that the efforts required 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.
“Parents should also periodically check the activities of their children and wards, ensure proper moral training and support punishment for offenders. The government must also put in place policies to deter such acts and punish offenders.
“Therefore, all hands must be on deck to ensure total eradication of examination malpractice at all levels of education in Nigeria,” Opiah said.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Registrar of the National Examinations Council (NECO) Prof. Ibrahim Wushishi, said the workshop was meant to proffer strategies that could be adopted to curb the menace of examination malpractice in the country.
Wushishi added that the workshop is also geared towards re-orientation of the minds of the youths concerning the cankerworm of examination malpractice as no nation develops when its youths indulge in sharp practices.
“No doubt, examination malpractice has the tendency to discourage hard work among serious students, lowers education 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,” Wushishi said.
In his remarks, Gov Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom said the menace of examination malpractice is being fuelled by social media.
Emmanuel, who was represented by Commissioner for Education, Mrs Idongesit Etiebet, blamed parents and school authorities for supporting and aiding their wards and students to be involved in examination malpractice.
The governor added that his administration has maintained zero tolerance for examination malpractice with adequate measures put in place to tackle the menace.
He said his administration has increased the construction of laboratories and constructed perimeter fences, deployed security guards and retrained teachers to improve the quality of teaching and learning and reduce examination malpractice in the state.
In his goodwill message, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Services, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, expressed disappointment over the increasing menace of examination malpractice in the country.
He called on stakeholders to de-emphasise paper qualification and focus more on practical and technical education as a country, stressing that a country that does not place emphasis on technical and vocational education walks on the pathway to destruction.
He assured that the National Assembly would ensure proper legislation to curb the dangers of examination malpractice in the country.
