The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has blamed school owners for the increased rate of examination malpractice.

The Deputy Registrar, West African Examinations Council (WAEC), Mrs Comfort Agwu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that examination malpractice would not succeed in schools without the knowledge of the school administrators.

The council accused some private school owners in the country of trafficking students illegally from one state to another for the purpose of writing the examination.

Mrs Agwu warned that the council would not hesitate to clamp down on schools that were involved in examination malpractice.

“We shall close down any school involved in malpractice in any form henceforth.

“That is why we are sparing time to educate school principals and proprietors on the evil effects of the malpractice,’’ she said.

Agwu also urged School principals to stop registering fake candidates or external candidates for WAEC examinations.

She claimed that some principals register candidates with defaced photographs with the intent of replacing the photographs after the examinations.

“This has caused delay in the issuance of certificates and the council will not tolerate this any longer,’’ she said.

Agwu also urged School owners to stop advertising their schools with the promise of assisting students to get distinctions in WAEC examinations.

“Great men of today did not make distinctions or credits in all the subjects at one sitting; our individual performance should have at least the normal curve.

“Some teachers go as far as writing the answers on the board for candidates in the examination hall while some photocopy answers for them.

“We have our spies in all the zones and there will be no escape route this time around for exam cheats,” the WAEC deputy registrar said.

Agwu urged school owners to report any supervisor who tries to intimidate or demand bribe from them to the council.

A school administrator, who pleaded anonymity, told NAN that the high cut-off marks by higher institutions was responsible for the malpractice.

“The demand for credits in one sitting in SSCE by higher institutions from students seeking admissions has contributed to examination malpractice
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“If they allow two or more sittings, the desperation will not be there to get the credits or distinctions in one attempt,’’ he said
http://campusportalng.com/education/waec/waec-blames-school-owners-for-exam-malpractice/1071/