Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
At least, 37 secondary schools in Benue State have been de-recognised by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) for alleged examination malpractices.
Consequently, the affected schools have been removed from the list of schools that are used as centres for the Senior School Certificate of Education (SSCE) as well as the National Examination Council (NECO) examination.
Commissioner for Education, Prof. Dennis Ityavyar who disclosed this yesterday stated that 164 schools were involved in one form of malpractice or the other but that the 37 that were de-recognised were the schools that were neck deep in the malpractices.
The education commissioner disclosed further that the state government would sanction 38 principals in the state in connection with incidents of examination malpractices in their schools.
He said the ministry had concluded plans to demote principals of the 37 affected schools as well as one other principal over a similar offence as part of punitive measures to ensure sanity in the system. Ityavyar said although the 38th school was not de-recognised, the examination body identified some sharp practices in the school.
The commissioner added that it was for that reason that the government took the decision to sanction the principal of the school, to serve as a deterrent to others.