The Oyo State Government, has, on Tuesday, said it may start enforcing the Examination Malpractice Act, as enshrined in the 1999 Federal Constitution.
The Act stipulates a three-year jail term or fine of N100, 000 or both for anyone caught and found guilty of compromising examination ethics in the country.
A statement signed by the Coordinating Director of the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Rotimi Babalola, quotes the Executive Chairman (ES), Oyo State Post-Primary Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), Akinade Alamu, as saying that the state government had so far adopted administrative measures in addressing examination malpractices in the state.
Alamu declared that with the present administration’s policy on education, the war against examination malpractice was being won.
Suspended some teachers
The government had, earlier in the year, suspended some teachers on the premise of examination malpractices during the West African Senior School Certificate Examination.
The ES, who expressed joy over the support by the Nigeria Union of Teachers and other teachers bodies, emphasised that the state government would not hesitate to ensure that the laws guiding the conduct of public exams in the country takes its full course.
Alamu asserted that examination malpractice had reduced significantly since the Seyi Makinde administration came on board, noting that the government aims at the total elimination of exam malpractice in the state.
Speaking on granting the erring teachers pardon, Alamu disclosed that the state government had received appeals from traditional rulers, as well as stakeholders in the education sector, saying the government had not taken any final decision on whether to pardon the erring teachers or not.
He said: “We have very high regard for the NUT, a very noble union of professionals. We respect the leadership of NUT and its members; NUT is a union that gave maximum cooperation to Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration, since its inception.”
Alamu berated past administrations in the state for taking issues of examination malpractices with levity, adding that the Makinde administration had taken the bull by the horns and taken administrative steps to address the issues which birthed appeals and pleadings from various quarters.
“When we came on board, we decided that this problem should be nipped in the bud and we started sanctioning the erring teachers and principals. So we have done it for 2-3years now, suspending teachers that were involved and we want you to understand that examination malpractice is criminal.
“We respect Nigerian Teachers and they are very good partners of TESCOM and Oyo State Government.
He commended the NUT for being a responsible Trade Union, which he said can ease the consideration of their request to pardon the teachers.
Lateefah Ibrahim
