By Adeyinka Adeniran
The menace of examination malpractices came to fore on Thursday with the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, tasking the National Examination Council (NECO) to look into the issue said to be a stain on the body.
Olubadan made the observation while playing host to the new Southwest Zonal Director of the examination body, Mrs. Deborah Fukop, who led her management team on a courtesy visit on the monarch to announce her posting to the Zone and to seek collaboration with the traditional institution in any area that could enhance the body’s operational efficiency in the Zone.
The monarch in a statement through his Personal Assistant (Media), Oladele Ogunsola noted that the strategic position occupied by the examination body as the gate-keepers for the higher institutions across the country confers on it the need to wage war against the vice.
He said “The future of this country is in your hand in that whatever you turn out as finished products through our national examination, the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSSCE) is what our tertiary institutions must as a compulsion admit because, they must admit students if they don’t want to close down.
“You owe it a duty to give us the best for the sake of our future. The news we normally hear about the conduct of your examinations is not at all cheering, yet, it is compulsory that our children pass through you. One cannot but acknowledge the efforts being made to tackle the menace by way of sanctioning schools and some individuals involved, we want you to do more because of our future”.
In her reaction, the Zonal Director, Mrs. Deborah Fukop thanked Olubadan for the frank talk, but said “as much as the observation by the monarch could not be dismissed, the problem of examination malpractices was largely that of the supervisors, who are teachers. They are the ones that compromise on integrity and not the Council.
“We are conscious of our revered father’s observation and we are not folding arms because of the importance and strategic position we find ourselves. We cannot afford to fail the country, but our Royal Father would agree with me that we only conduct examinations while our supervisors, who are teachers are responsible for the execution.
“There are enough mechanisms in place to check malpractices before, during and after the examinations, but, if and when those saddled with the responsibility at any of the stages compromise the system, we become helpless. Nevertheless, we are up and doing as we give sanctions to schools and individuals found culpable as remarked by Your Imperial Majesty”.
Calling for collaboration of all the stakeholders with the examination body, she maintained that everybody must be conscious of the need for integrity and to come to the realization that whatever is done to compromise the examination system is a crime against the country.
She thanked His Majesty for the opportunity given to pay the visit, his admonition and his readiness to support the zone to achieve success just as she pledged to put up her best by upholding the core values of the examination body towards the realization of the vision and mission of the body.
