By Florence Ebebe, Education Editor & Jamachi David
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has held a three-day Summit of its Nigeria Examinations Committee (NEC) which commenced on Thursday 10th and ended on Saturday 12th December, 2020 at the Council’s Testing and Training Centre (WTTC), in Lagos.
This year’s meeting is the 70th of the Committee, which is the highest decision-making organ of WAEC on examination-related matters in Nigeria.
The Committee meets twice a year, to consider matters relating to the conduct of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for School Candidates and Private Candidates.
During the 70th Meeting, the Committee received reports on irregularities, special and clemency cases arising from the conduct of WASSCE for Private Candidates, 2019-Second Series and WASSCE for Private Candidates, 2020-First Series.
The Committee also considered a report on the conduct of WASSCE for School Candidates, 2020, as well as Irregularity Cases arising from the conduct of the examination.
According to a statement sent to The Legend by the Head of Public Affairs, Damianus Ojijeogu, the Committee after diligent deliberations, approved appropriate sanctions in all established cases of malpractice.
For instance, it approved that the entire results of candidates involved in proven cases, which attracted cancellation of entire results, be cancelled, while subject results of those involved in proven cases, which attracted cancellation of subject results, be similarly cancelled.
“In addition, some candidates will also suffer other sanctions such as barring them from sitting for the Councils examinations for a certain number of years, while some schools will be derecognised for a specified number of years or have their recognition completely withdrawn.
“some Supervisors that were found wanting in the discharge of their examination duties will be formally reported to their employers and blacklisted while some invigilators will also be reported to the appropriate authorities for disciplinary action. ”
The Committee also considered special cases, clemency appeals from WASSCE for School Candidates, 2020 and Restitution Cases for various years.
The statement went on to say that the summit commended the Council for braving all odds to successfully conduct and release the results of WASSCE for School Candidates, 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
It also noted the decline in examination malpractice in the examination and called on WAEC to sustain the momentum in its fight against the menace.
It, however, urged the Federal and State Ministries of Education to assist the Council in that regard, through the monitoring and inspection of examination centres in their domain during the conduct of WASSCE.
The Committee noted with admiration the benefits of the Chief Examiners Report and appealed to Directors in the various State Ministries of Education, the All Confederation of Nigeria Principals of Secondary Schools and all relevant stakeholders to continue to sensitize their teachers on the efficacy of the reports in the improvement of teaching and learning in schools.
The Committee, equally commended President Buharis administration for approving the establishment of the National Secondary Schools Commission in 2019 to oversee the operations of secondary schools in Nigeria.
