The National Examinations Council (NECO) says it will root out malpractice in all its exams by deploying officials of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to its centres.
The council also said officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) will be getting involved.
Ibrahim Wushishi, NECO register, spoke about the development at a workshop on malpractice in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state.
The NECO boss called for concerted efforts to address the problem of exam malpractice.
Wushishi said there was an urgent need to curtail the problem to ensure all-round development of the country.
“One of the biggest challenges bedeviling the conduct of public examinations now is the issue of examination malpractice,” he said.
“This workshop is, therefore, both thoughtful and timely and should address the ways and means that can be adopted to curb the menace and re-orient the minds of the youths concerning this cankerworm.
“Malpractice has the tendency to discourage hard work among serious students, lowers educational standards, discredit certificates, and lead to the production of quacks, thereby affecting the manpower needs of the nation.
“We must therefore take collective responsibility to rid them of this bad habit of wanting to cut corners.”
Wushishi said the council has rolled out measures to tackle malpractice in the conduct of all its exams.
He said this includes effective accreditation and biometric data capturing of candidates to check impersonation.
“Others are the use of officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to provide security at examination centres to prevent miscreants/agents of examination malpractice,” the NECO boss said.
“Provision of covert operations by officers of the Department of State Services to guide against compromising examination through the internet.
“Daily distribution of examination question papers and other sensitive materials, monitoring of marking exercise to ensure that best practices are observed, among others.”
Source: The Cable