FG to Set Up Special Court for Exam Fraud

In a bid to tackle the menace of examination malpractices, the Federal Government has announced plans to set up a specialized court to prosecute offenders.

This was disclosed by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, while receiving a report from a 17-member committee chaired by Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.

The committee’s report, which was submitted after five months of extensive work, outlined 12 key recommendations to improve the quality of examinations in the country.

Dr. Alausa assured the committee members that all the recommendations would be implemented, stating that the government would spare no effort in combating examination malpractice.

One of the key recommendations is the establishment of a National Examination Malpractice Court/Tribunal, which would facilitate prompt prosecution of examination infractions. The committee also suggested that all examination documents, including certificates and result slips, should bear the candidate’s National Identification Number (NIN), photograph, and date of birth to prevent identity theft and impersonation.

To ensure the integrity of the examination process, the committee recommended that invigilators and supervisors should register using their NIN and subscribe to a dedicated short code.

This would enable the examination bodies to track and monitor their activities. The committee also suggested that invigilators and supervisors should be public officials or teachers on pensionable appointments.

Other recommendations include the installation of stationary CCTV cameras in examination halls and centres, as well as the deployment of body camcorders to monitor the examination process.

The committee also proposed that every pupil should generate a unique code linked to their NIN at the point of entry into basic school, which would be used to identify them throughout their educational journey.

Prof. Oloyede’s committee noted that the non-implementation of the 1999 Examination Malpractice Act was a major obstacle to combating exam malpractice.

The committee therefore recommended a review of the Act to make it more effective. The Minister of Education, Dr. Alausa, has assured that the government would implement all the recommendations, including the review of the Continuous Assessment System, which has been identified as a source of corruption in the examination system.