Paul Osuyi, Asaba

The Delta State Government has ordered the closure of two private secondary schools, including St Vincent College, Ovwian and Anointed Secondary School, Ubogu, over their alleged involvement in examination malpractice during the 2018 West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE).

It was gathered that the candidates of St Vincent College wrote the 2018 WASSCE at Anointed Secondary School without the approval of West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) or the state Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education.

The closure of the two schools is coming on the heels of the approval of the report of the Examination Ethics Disciplinary Committee (EEDC) investigation on WAEC indictment of some public and private secondary schools in the state for examination malpractice in the 2018 WASSCE by the state Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Patrick Ukah.

Speaking after the approval of the recommendations, Ukah said 12 supervisors will suffer one-year deferment of promotion and will be banned from the supervision of any school examination for a period of three years for their alleged collusion, compromise, negligence of duty and failure to write reports at the end of the examinations.

Ukah warned those who might still have the intention of involving themselves in examination malpractice to have a rethink, pointing to the state government’s zero-tolerance policy.

He said stiffer penalties will be given to any person who is involved in examination malpractice no matter how highly placed, and advised them to operate within the provisions of the rules guiding the conduct of examinations in the state.

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Ukah said the approved recommendations have been forwarded to the PPEB for implementation.

According to him, the EEDC was chaired by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, with representatives from the Ministry of Justice, Post Primary Education Board (PPEB), Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), Association of Private School Owners of Nigeria (APSON), the Director of Examinations as well as that of Inspectorate Department in the ministry, as members

He gave the names of the affected supervisors as Akporode Amos of Boboroku Secondary School, Boboroku, who supervised at Ogharefe Secondary School, Oghara, Ugbune O of Mosogar Secondary School, Mosagar, at Ogharefe Secondary School, Oghara, Nwabueze AI of Ukavbe Secondary School, Otefe-Oghara, at Our Lady of Nigeria Secondary School, Ogharefe, Agbavwe GW of Ihwighwu Secondary School, Ijomi-Oghara, at Our Lady of Nigeria Secondary School, Ogharefe, Omeresan ME of Gbaraun Grammar School, Oproza, at Ogidigben Grammar School, Ogidigben, and Sawacha FT of Gbaraun Grammar School, Oproza, at Ogidigben Grammar School, Ogidigben.

Others are Eko Patrick of Gbaraun Grammar School, Oproza, at Ogidigben Grammar School, Ogidigben, Elelekute M of Gbaraun Grammar School, Oproza, at Ogidigben Grammar School, Ogidigben, Awoyemi SO of Ogbe-Ijoh Grammar School, Ogbe-Ijoh, at Ogidigben Grammar School, Ogidigben, Arirediegha O. F. of Burutu Grammar School, Burutu, at Ogidigben Grammar School, Ogidigben, Igbigbi EE of Orhuwhorun High School, Orhuwhorun, at St Vincent College, Ovwian, and Igweze MO of Aladja Grammar School, Aladja, at St Vincent College, Ovwian.

Also, the Vice-Principal (Academics) of Ogidigben Grammar School, Ogidigben, Mrs H Akponeware, is to be demoted by one salary grade level for alleged inefficiency in handling the affairs of the school in the absence of the Principal during the 2018 WASSCE.

Similarly, the Examination Officer of the same school, Mr Akpochimara Ufuoma, will suffer the same fate over alleged gross complicity in the act of examination malpractice, compromise, sharing money amongst supervisors and pressurizing WAEC officers/supervisors to release question papers and answer scripts for candidates outside the examination hall.

Also banned from supervising any school examination for three years is Ms Onoriode Q from Ovwian Secondary School, Ovwian, for allegedly not writing a report to the ministry or WAEC.