Saturday May 31, 2025|
In a decisive move to tackle the recurring menace of examination malpractice in Nigeria, the Federal Government has revealed plans to establish a National Examination Malpractice Court/Tribunal to expedite the prosecution of offenders and restore integrity to the education system.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed this in Abuja on Friday while receiving a comprehensive report from a 17-member committee tasked with improving the quality of national examinations.
The committee was chaired by the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede.
Alausa commended the committee’s diligence and gave assurances that all 12 key recommendations would be implemented promptly. He emphasized that the government would not relent in its efforts to sanitize the examination process in Nigeria.
“Let me assure all the committee members that you have done a tremendous job,” Alausa said. “Every single recommendation you’ve made is feasible, and we are committed to implementing them fully.”
Among the major recommendations is the creation of a dedicated court or tribunal to specifically handle cases of exam malpractice, which the committee believes will ensure swift justice and serve as a deterrent to would-be offenders.
The committee further urged the Ministry of Education to work closely with the National Assembly to push for legislation that would establish the proposed court.
Other critical recommendations include:
Mandatory Integration of NIN: Certificates, result slips, and registration documents are to be linked with candidates’ National Identification Numbers (NIN), photographs, and dates of birth to prevent impersonation.
Digital Tracking of Officials: All invigilators and supervisors are to be registered with their NINs and subscribed to a centralized short code system, similar to JAMB’s 55019/66019, to track their identities and monitor their activities during exams.
CCTV and Surveillance Upgrades: Examination halls and centres are to be fitted with stationary CCTV cameras, with each centre having a dedicated mini control room for real-time monitoring. The committee also proposed deploying body camcorders for invigilators.
Unique Student ID from Basic School: At the point of entry into basic education, each pupil is to be assigned a unique code tied to their NIN, to be used throughout their academic journey in Nigeria.
Strict Invigilation Guidelines: Where feasible, invigilators and supervisors must be public servants or pensionable teachers. Swapping of exam officials is set to begin with the 2025 private SSCE to enhance neutrality.
Infrastructure Compliance: The minimum standard space per candidate is set at 1.8 sqm, and schools failing to meet this requirement will not be allowed to host exams.
Joint Examination Monitoring Centre: Exam bodies like WAEC, NECO, NABTEB, and NBAIS will jointly own a central monitoring facility to reduce costs and ensure uniform oversight.
The committee also recommended a review of the 1999 Examination Malpractice Act, arguing that its current form either lacks political will for enforcement or is not implementable.
It called for immediate updates to make the law functional and impactful.
Additionally, the report called for a revamp of the Continuous Assessment system, which it described as “a major source of corruption,” due to the backdated and often manipulated entry of student scores.
Alausa revealed that the federal government would no longer wait until 2027 to introduce Computer-Based Examinations (CBEs) across board exams.
“We will begin implementation of CBEs for objective questions in the 2025 private SSCE, and in full for all school candidates by 2026,” he added.
The committee was inaugurated in January 2025 and submitted its final report after five months of rigorous work.
As the government begins the process of implementing these sweeping reforms, many stakeholders in the education sector are hopeful that a new era of credibility and transparency in Nigeria’s examination system is on the horizon.
