Twenty-seven schools indicted by the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) for general examination malpractice during the year 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) have been fined N13.5 million by the Lagos State Government.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Office of Education Quality Assurance (OEQA) in Lagos State.
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According to the statement signed by the OEQA’s public affairs officer, Olaniran Emmanuel, each of the schools will pay up to N500,000 to the Lagos State government’s coffers following the conclusion of the investigation.
The Director-General, OEQA, Mrs Abiola Seriki-Ayeni, who led an investigative panel set to ascertain the authenticity of the allegations levelled against the schools by WAEC, noted that the fine is to serve as a deterrent to offenders.
All indicted schools, according to her, are to repeat the Whole School Evaluation (WSE) and Subject Recognition Inspection (SRI) process with OEQA within the two years de-recognition period as mandated by WAEC.
She also emphasized that the decisions of the investigative panel of enquiry were corrective measures, adding that recalcitrant offenders can have their approval totally withdrawn and school deregistered.
Also, the Chairman, Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) Mrs Elizabeth Ariyo, led another investigation panel of enquiry where 19 schools were investigated and indicted for general examination malpractice and document falsification during the year 2020 WASSCE and BECE.
Letters of advice and warning were issued to some of the schools, while others were told to pay fines as a punishment.
The TESCOM Chairman, who spoke to the affected school owners, affirmed that the state government would continue in its quest to identify recalcitrant schools and sanction them accordingly.
“A level of trust has been reposed in schools to uphold the virtues of a qualitative educational system and not continue to bring disrepute to the state ministry of education,” she said.
Mrs Seriki-Ayeni had earlier urged owners of schools to ascertain that their students are adequately prepared for external examinations to avoid any form of examination malpractice.
“You must ensure to instil good morals in your students because the Lagos State Government has zero-tolerance for examination malpractice and any form of social vices.
“Therefore, all school administrators must see to it that their students are self-confident, rooted and well-groomed academically,” she admonished.
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