Abuja: The Federal Government has proposed the establishment of a National Examination Malpractice Court/Tribunal to ensure the prompt prosecution of examination infractions and serve as a deterrent to others. The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, revealed this initiative in Abuja while receiving a committee report aimed at improving the quality of examinations.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the 17-man committee, led by Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, Registrar of the Joint Administrations and Matriculation Board (JAMB), made several recommendations, all of which the minister assured would be implemented. Dr. Alausa emphasized the government’s commitment to deploying all necessary resources to combat examination malpractice.
The committee was inaugurated by the minister in January and submitted its interim report after five months of extensive work. One of its key recommendations was for the Federal Ministry of Education to collaborate with the National Assembly to establish a law for the creation of a National Examination Malpractice Court/Tribunal. This court would ensure the swift prosecution of those involved in examination malpractices.
The committee also suggested that examination documents, such as certificates and result slips, include National Identification Number (NIN), photographs, and the date of birth of candidates to prevent identity theft and impersonation. Additionally, it recommended that all invigilators and supervisors register through NIN and subscribe to the examination body’s Short Code to track and maintain comprehensive information about examination officials.
Moreover, the committee advised that invigilators and supervisors should ideally be public officials or teachers with pensionable appointments. It also stressed that standard requirements for examination halls should not be waived, with specific seating arrangements recommended for candidates.
Further recommendations included equipping examination halls with stationary CCTV cameras for monitoring and establishing mini control rooms for real-time surveillance. The committee proposed joint ownership of central control facilities by examination bodies to reduce costs and suggested the deployment of body camcorders for effective monitoring.
The committee highlighted the need for every pupil to generate a unique code linked to their NIN at the entry point into basic school, ensuring consistent identification throughout their educational journey. It also called for a review of the 1999 Examination Malpractice Act to address its non-implementation and suggested an earlier implementation of the Computer Based Examination (CBE) for private and school candidates.
The committee criticized the 30 percent Continuous Assessment component of the Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations, citing it as a source of corruption. It recommended an immediate review of the system by relevant agencies to address these concerns.
