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Tag: examination

  • NECO steps up efforts to crackdown on exam leak syndicates

    NECO steps up efforts to crackdown on exam leak syndicates

    The National Examinations Council (NECO) says it’s stepping up efforts to stem examination malpractices fuelled by internet fraud, especially the leak of examination questions via the WhatsApp platform.

    Mr Ahmed Bagwai, NECO’s Chairman of the Annual Posting Calendar Implementation Committee (APCIC), stated this in an interview with NAN in Ibadan on Wednesday.

    Bagwai revealed that the council had initiated legal processes to obtain a court order to block identified telephone lines linked to these leaks.

    He said that a motion ex parte had already been prepared with additional input expected before filing at the Suleja Division of the Niger State High Court.

    According to him, NECO also operates an Examination Intelligence Committee, working in collaboration with agencies such as the ICPC, EFCC, and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

    “These efforts have made it more difficult for fraudsters to access live question papers a day or two before the exam.

    “However, leaks persist just hours before scheduled papers.

    “Distributions are tightly monitored from the printing press to custodian points, but we are still identifying suspicious patterns at the non-daily custodian level, possibly supervisors,” Bagwai noted.

    He, therefore, called on the public, media, and security agencies to work together to safeguard the integrity of national examinations.

    However, while monitoring the ongoing NECO exams, NAN observes that dedicated WhatsApp channels have become marketplaces for leaked exam content.

    For instance, questions were observed being sold for as little as ₦500 to ₦3,500 via Fintech platforms, reaching candidates across different states.

    Furthermore, some teachers and supervisors were allegedly observed aiding the malpractice by taking bribes from students and parents.

    An Ibadan-based teacher, who prefers to be anonymous, confirmed the existence of such channels and expressed concern that even joint state entrance exams are no longer immune.

    “Social media, societal values, and parental complicity are fuelling the crisis,” said the teacher.

    The teacher, therefore, called for stiffer penalties and community vigilance, emphasising that the crisis has become a threat to the future of education in Nigeria.

    “It has become a booming underground business,” another source disclosed.

    Meanwhile, a former Commissioner of Police and JAMB security consultant, Mr Fatai Owoseni, told NAN of how perpetrators now exploit digital tools.

    According to him, the use of ‘face-blending’, which is the merging of faces for impersonation during biometric exams, is trending.

    “Exam malpractice is now an industry as candidates hire mercenaries.

    “JAMB has invested heavily in digital defence but still faces hacking attempts,” said Owoseni, who is also the Special Adviser on Security Matters to Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State.

    Praising JAMB’s digital transformation under the leadership of Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, he advised NECO and WAEC to work closely with JAMB.

    “The way forward is collaboration and cautious adaptation of CBT,” he added.

  • 20 UNICAL students land in hospital after exam stampede

    20 UNICAL students land in hospital after exam stampede

    Twenty students of the University of Calabar (UNICAL) were on Saturday rushed to the university’s teaching hospital following a stampede at an examination hall at the campus.

    The stampede occurred where the students were billed to write the General Studies and Communication Skills (GSS) examination that was postponed to Saturday from Friday.

    The GSS examination was for the 100 level students from all the faculties of the university.

    The examination, meant to be taken in batches, saw the students rushing to secure space from the few available ones.

    Saturday’s GSS examination was meant to be the climax of the institution’s second semester examinations that started on Oct. 16.

    Meanwhile, the university’s management has declined to comment on the stampede. A competent source, however, confirmed the incident.

  • 294 Army Officers sit for qualifying examination

    294 Army Officers sit for qualifying examination

    No fewer than 294 Army Officers on Sunday begun a week-long Senior Staff Course Qualifying Examination, holding at Jaji Military Cantonment, Kaduna State.

    The examination is being conducted by the Nigerian Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC).

    The President of the Examination Board, Maj.-Gen. Kelvin Aligbe, said the examination was a major prerequisite for officers to attend the Senior Staff Course at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji and other staff colleges overseas.

    He warned the officers against any form of malpractice during the examination.

    “I  believe that while majority of you are on first attempt, others are attempting the examination for the second or third time.

    “Let me assure you all that this is an examination you can pass without resorting to illegal or fraudulent means.”

    Aligbe who is also the Commander TRADOC said members of the examination panel had been working in the past one week, putting together fair and acceptable requirements and solutions for the examination.

    “The requirements are fair enough for any serious-minded candidate to tackle successfully.

    “I will like to emphasize that your performance in this examination is a key determinant of your progress in the Nigerian Army.

    “It is therefore important that you all put in the seriousness and determination that would produce the best result.”

    He assured the candidate of the absolute integrity and understanding of members of the examination panel and Directing Staff.

    “The serious minded and hard-working candidates amongst you have nothing to fear.

    “This examination is not only about writing a test, it is an assessment of your present level of proficiency as well as determinant of your capabilities to undertake higher responsibilities that may be assigned to you now and in the future.

    “Fortunately, you are well trained and most of you have been in one theatre of operation or the other and you all had enough time to prepare for the examination.

    “There should therefore, be no excuse for failure and I expect nothing short of 100 percent pass in this examination.”

    He reminded them that Army Headquarters Policy allowed a maximum of three sittings for each candidate to pass the examination.

    “I urge you all, particularly those on second or last attempt to put in your best in order to obtain the minimum marks required to qualify.”

    “I have directed the members of the examination panel to be objective, realistic and innovative in the setting of the requirements.

    “You should therefore, expect questions based on challenges that may arise in the barracks during peace time, as well as exercises and operations.”

    Aligbe said in order to qualify for selection to the AFCSC, a candidate must score a minimum of 50 percent in all subjects.

    The Commander warned that a candidate stands disqualified if caught cheating or indulging in any manner of examination malpractice as highlighted in the NA Charter for Promotion Examinations.

    “All candidates are warned to remain in Jaj throughout the duration of the examination. You will be disqualified and disciplinary action taken against you if you commute from Kaduna or Zaria for the examination,” he added.

    Aligbe said those who came first, second and third would receive certificate of excellence and Letter of Commendation.

    “You are here on a crucial assignment and your conduct during the examination could make or mar your career.

    “The secret to making it in this examination is to have absolute confidence in your abilities, and a dogged determination to succeed in a legally acceptable way.

    “There is no need to be pessimistic or contemplate failure if you have prepared well for this examination. In fact, our desire is for all of you to pass and qualify for selection to the AFCSC.

    “On our part, I assure you of our determination to carry out a meticulous and painstaking marking of your answer booklets and accurate recording of your marks. We shall be firm, but fair to all of you, “Aligbe sad.

    Earlier, the Commander Infantry Corps, Maj.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, urged the candidates to abide by the rules and regulations governing the examination, and maintain highest level of integrity and discipline.

    Oluyede said the examination was aimed at elevating the candidates to the middle cadre of Nigerian Army and the Armed Forces in general.

    He urged the candidates to put in their best in order to come out successful.

  • WAEC releases 2023 first batch of results

    WAEC releases 2023 first batch of results

    The West African Examinations Council (WAEC), on Friday, released the result of the first series of its 2023 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) organised for private candidates.

    The examination was held between January and February, with a total of 8,348 candidates participated across 262 exam centres nationwide.

    The Head of the National Office of WAEC, Nigeria, Mr Patrick Areghan, announced the release of the result in a statement made available by the head of public affairs department of the organisation, Mrs Moyosola Adesina.

    According to him, only 2,003 candidates (representing 23.99%) out of the total 8,348 who sat the exam obtained credit and above in a minimum of five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.

    “And out of this number, only 971 (representing 48.48%) were male candidates while 1,032( representing 51.52%) were females,” he noted.

    Areghan said the percentage of candidates who had this similar result in the same diet in 2021 and 2022 were 30.11% and 26.32%, respectively, a development that shows a marginal decrease of 2.33% in performance over the three years.

    Areghan, however, pointed out that this general result cannot be compared with that of the May\June school-based diet for final year students because candidates in the latter exam are being compelled to sit for either eight or nine subjects while in this particular exam in focus, candidates are free to sit even for one subject depending on the number of subjects they have a deficiency and they need to pass.

    “That is why it is not correct or fair to say that the performance in this examination has dwindled when compared with the school-based exam,” he declared.

    Giving further statistics of the results, Areghan said 413 (representing 4.95%) of the total number of candidates who sat the examination still have their results being withheld over allegations of examination malpractice.

    He said their cases are being investigated, and the outcome would be communicated to them as regards if their results would be released or cancelled.

    He said 27 candidates with special needs including visually and hearing impaired and Albinos were also participated in the exam.

    He, however, disclosed that candidates who sat the examination are now free to visit the council’s website as www.waecdirect.org to check their results while they would need to apply for their certificates online, through WAEC Certificate Request Portal (e-Certman) website given as https://certrequest.waec.ng/.

    He commended all the members of staff of WAEC, exam officials, as well as the ad-hoc staff who participated in the exercise, saying their contributions were worthwhile

  • LASG releases BECE results

    LASG releases BECE results

    Lagos State Examination Board has urged Principals of Public Junior Secondary Schools to visit Education District Headquarters for their Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results.

    Mr Adebayo Orunsolu, Director, Lagos State Examinations Board, gave the directive on Tuesday in a statement signed by Mr Fatai Bakare, Deputy Director, Public Affairs of the Board.

    Orunsolu disclosed that the Lagos State Government had released the 2022 Basic Education Certificate BECE results with immediate effect.

    He implored Principals of approved Private Junior Secondary Schools that participated in the examination to visit the Board’s Head Office at 254, Ipaja Road, Agege, near NYSC Orientation Camp, for collection of their results.

    The director said that the re-sit examination for candidates who failed English, Mathematics, or both, would hold on a tentative date of Wednesday, Sept. 28.

    He added that the re-sit examination was also expected to hold in various designated centres across the six Education Districts of the state.

  • JAMB scraps mop-up UTME

    JAMB scraps mop-up UTME

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says it will no longer conduct mop-up examination for candidates of Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) who are not bio-metrically verified.

    The board made this known in its Weekly Bulletin of the office of the Registrar on Monday in Abuja. It said the move was to further strengthen the noose around examination malpractice.

    “The board has decided that the era whereby some candidates will present themselves at the examination venue and claim difficulty to be biometrically verified and expect the system to allow them to sit for the examination is gone for good.

    “It will be recalled that the board, out of magnanimity has allowed such candidates to be rescheduled for the mop-up UTME introduced in 2017.

    “However, the board has of late, realised the futility of such an arrangement after assessing the process and its impact on the entire examination value chain.

    “Consequently, the management of the board has regrettably resolved that all candidates must be verified to sit for their examination as there will be no more mop-ups UTME for whatever reason.

    “To cater for the few that may have genuine cases of inability to be captured, such candidates are to clearly indicate such difficulty from the point of registration.

    “This is so that they can be assigned to a centre situated within the National headquarters of the board for close monitoring,” it said.

    The bulletin noted that measure was not only to sanitise the examination process but also to ensure that the hard-earned reputation of the board was not impugned.

    JAMB said that the decision emanated from the management’s rigorous review of the 2022 UTME exercise with the need to close all loopholes noticed during the examination.

    “Examination malpractice remained one of the major obstacles faced by all public examination bodies globally, hence, the need for it to consistently take steps to confront the monster.

    “No candidate of the UTME will be allowed to sit for its examination without first being biometrically verified. All 10 fingers of the candidate must be captured at the point of registration.

    “To combat the menace of examination malpractice, the board has taken full advantage of technology by introducing, among others, biometric capturing of a candidate’s 10 fingers during UTME registration.

    “This is to ensure that there is a convincing match between the fingerprints captured and those presented by the candidate at the examination venue,” it said.

    The board said that any scenario other than the above was an invitation to examination security breach.

    It said the management had scheduled a five-day annual retreat from Sept.18 to Sept. 23 to review and assess its performance in all facets of its operational processes, including the 2022 UTME.

    “This is with a view to appraising the challenges faced and fashion strategies to addressing them, while charting a way forward,” JAMB said.

  • UPDATE: WAEC withholds 365,564 WASSCE results over malpractice

    UPDATE: WAEC withholds 365,564 WASSCE results over malpractice

    The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) says the results of a total of 365,564 candidates who sat for its 2022 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates have been withheld.

    A total of the 1,607,981 candidates registered for the examination from 20,222  recognised secondary schools across the country, but only 1,601, 047 sat for the test.

    Mr Patrick Areghan, the council’s Head of National Office (HNO), announced details of  the examination results on Monday, in Lagos.

    He said the withheld results related to  various reported cases of examination malpractice.

    According to him, the number of seized results represents 22.83 per cent, making it 11.74 per cent higher than the 10.9 per cent recorded in the same examination diet in 2021.

    Areghan said that the students’ lack of zeal to learn was largely responsible for the development.

    “I will say preparation for examination among our students is taking a serious nose dive, due to over-reliance on the so-called ‘Expo’, which is actually non-existent.

    “Candidates simply got frustrated when they entered the examination hall and discovered that all they had celebrated, was actually fake.

    “This has pitiably led to some of them failing the examination, which if they had relied on themselves and studied hard, would have passed like many others,” he stated.

    The HNO said that the council would continue to sanction all cases of examination malpractice.

    He said that schools, supervisors, teachers and candidates perpetrating the evil act were not helping the education system.

    Areghan said that all hands must be on deck to check the ugly trend.

    He said that the increasing use of cell phones in the examination hall, in spite of the existing ban, and organised cheating in some schools were other nagging issues.

    The WAEC boss said that the examination was also administered to candidates from some schools in Benin Republic, Côte d’Ivoire and Equatorial Guinea, where the Nigerian curriculum for senior secondary school was being used.

    Giving a further breakdown of statistics of the results, Areghan said that, of the total 1,601, 047 candidates who sat for the examination, 1,713 of them had varying degrees of special needs.

    “Of the number of candidates with special needs,128 of them were visually challenged, 583 others had impaired hearing and 387 were spastic cum mentally challenged.

    “We also had 12 others who are physically challenged. All these candidates were adequately provided for,  in the administration of the examination.

    “Results of these category of candidates have been processed and are also now being released along with those of other candidates,” he said.

    Speaking further on the result, Areghan said that of the total number that sat for the examination, a total of 1,437,629 candidates representing 89.79 per cent had their results fully processed and released.

    According to him, a total of 163,418 others,  representing 10.21 per cent had a few of their subjects still being processed, due to some issues that are still being resolved.

    He, however, noted that efforts were  being made to speedily complete the processing, to enable all the affected candidates to get their results fully processed and released within the next one week.

    Areghan said that further statistics of candidates’ performance at the examination showed that 1,409, 529 , representing 88.04 per cent obtained credit and above in a minimum of any five subjects, that is, with or without English Language and/or Mathematics.

    According to him, 1,222,505 others, representing 76. 36 per cent who sat  for the examination, obtained credits and above in a minimum of five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.

    He noted that there was a 5.34 per cent decrease in performance, when compared to the 81.70 per cent obtained by candidates in the same category in 2021, in the same examination diet.

    Speaking further, the HNO said that the council’s Digital Security Printing press was set for commissioning.

    According to him, the digital security printing press, which is the first of its kind by the council in Nigeria, is in response to its  growing operational needs.

    “With this digital security printing press, the Nigeria national office will be able to improve its operational efficiency.

    “Also, the much-awaited digital certificate software, which was earlier announced as one of the innovations the council is exploring in its bid to make service delivery more accessible to candidates, is here at last.

    “The project has been completed and it is now set for launch to enable end users enjoy the enormous benefits of the service,” he said.

    Areghan expressed gratitude to the Federal Government, the Ministry of Education, security agencies and other stakeholders, for giving maximum support to the council.

    He said they gave this before, during and after the conduct of the examination, especially in the face of the insecurity in parts of the country.

    The HNO appealed to states that were owing the council registration fees of their candidates to pay up.

    This, he said, would enable such candidates to be able to access their results. The conduct of the WASSCE for school candidates ended on June 3. The examination council released the results exactly 45 days after the last paper.

  • BREAKING: 2022 WASSCE results released

    BREAKING: 2022 WASSCE results released

    The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has released the 2022 West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) results.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the results are for school candidates who sat for the 2022 WASSCE from May 16 to June 23, 2022.

    WAEC’s Head of National Office, Patrick Areghan made this known while speaking at a briefing on Monday.

    Areghan noted that the results of the examination which held for six weeks were released 45 days after the last paper.

  • We don’t fix cut-off marks for UTME – JAMB

    We don’t fix cut-off marks for UTME – JAMB

    The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says no uniform minimum national Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) score for any of the tiers of tertiary institutions and neither does JAMB decide any such requirement for any institution.

    The board made this known in Abuja on Monday by the board Head, Public Affairs and Protocol, Dr Fabian Benjamin.

    Benjamin said the board did not and had never determined any uniform national UTME scores otherwise known as cut-off mark by the general public for any tertiary institution.

    “The lucid process of admission which the former President of the Academic Staff Union of University, Prof. Nasir Fagge, expounded and which was published in Premium Times is the exact process being followed in the conduct of admission exercise to tertiary institutions.

    “This process has even been improved upon with the elimination of human interference through its full automation with the introduction of the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS).

    “For the purpose of emphasis, the board conducts the UTME and hands over the results to institutions for the conduct of admissions,” he said.

    He further said that before the admission exercise would commence, a policy meeting was usually held with all the Heads of the Institutions in attendance and chaired by the Minister of Education.

    According to him, at this meeting, the admission guidelines, which include recommendations from individual institutions and their preferred minimum admission scores, are presented and deliberated upon and not JAMB.

    “Prior to the meeting, for instance, more than 50 per cent of the universities had submitted in writing their minimum scores of 200 and above to the board for presentation to the meeting for the purpose of deliberation.

    “The same applied for the other tiers of tertiary institutions.

    “The implication of this process is that no institution will be able to admit any candidate with any score below what they had submitted as their minimum score,” he said.

    He, however, said there was nothing like a national minimum UTME score for all universities, polytechnics or colleges of education as it was only individual institutions which set their minimum entry scores based on their peculiarities.

    JAMB in September 2021 cancelled general cut-off marks for entrance into tertiary institutions, allowing the schools to set their minimum benchmarks.

    Benjamin also said that the board had no role whatsoever in the decision of the institutions to determine how or with what criteria they want to admit.

    “The role of the board is to ensure that the goalpost is not shifted in the middle of the game.

    “Furthermore, in most cases, the UTME score is not the sole determinant of placement of candidates into tertiary institutions.

    “As such, the undue attention to the so-called national minimum UTME score is a major conception of many ill-informed candidates who assumed that they have finally attained the benchmark having achieved the so-called minimum national score or “cut-off point’ for admission.

    “It is, therefore, a double jeopardy for many candidates who subscribed to the popular myth of a uniform UTME score (cut-off) for all universities, polytechnics or colleges of education in Nigeria,” it said.

    He said the board did not give uniform minimum UTME score (cut-off) for all universities, polytechnics or colleges of education.

    This, he added, was because each institution determined and summited to JAMB its minimum UTME score after analysing the UTME scores of its applicants against its available quota.

    He said decisions at the annual policy meeting on admission did not reduce minimum prescriptions emanating from the institutions except in few situations where these institutions had submitted minimum UTME scores that fell below what the policy meeting considered as the acceptable minimum score.

    “It should, therefore, be noted that UTME score is just one of the two or three scores that are generally cumulated to obtain the eventual aggregate score and ranking of the candidates by most institutions.

    “Other parameters are Post-UTME/Post-A/L qualifications screening test score; O/L grade score; and in some cases, physical test (such as applicable in the Nigerian Defence Academy/Police Academy).

    “Therefore, it is the score from all these segments that are added together to have an eventual ranking table or “cut-off” score,” it said.

  • WAEC seeks FG’s support to procure $3.9m printing machine

    WAEC seeks FG’s support to procure $3.9m printing machine

    The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has solicited the support of the Federal Government to procure an outstanding printing machine to help its service delivery.

    The Chairman of Council, Prof. Ato Essuman, said this when he led his team on a courtesy visit to the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, in Abuja on Thursday.

    Essuman said that the building and all the external work had been completed, adding that three of the machines had already been purchased.

    He, however, said that the outstanding machine which costs 3.9 million U.S. dollars needed to be procured to enable the council to achieve its mandate of conducting effective examinations.

    ”As a responsible and responsive organisation, the council is always seeking ways of improving on its service delivery to stakeholders.

    “The Nigeria National Office embarked on the establishment of a Digital Printing Press for the printing of examination security materials, the first to be owned by the council in Nigeria.

    “However, the project, which is nearing completion, has been stalled because we are not able to fund the acquisition of a particular machine that is vital to the operation of the system.

    “I wish therefore to use this privilege extended to me today to request your kind intervention to enable us to secure the required financial assistance for the procurement of the machine,” he said.

    Essuman said that in the 70 years of WAEC’s existence, Nigeria stands out in the comity of member nations not only in the discharge of its obligations, but also in the enthusiasm and promptness with which most of the obligations were discharged.

    He, therefore, thanked the government and people of Nigeria for the support, cooperation and goodwill, which WAEC had received from inception in 1952 to date.

    Responding, Adamu promised to do his best to make sure that Nigerian government continues to support the council in achieving its mandate.

    Also, the Head, Nigeria National Office, WAEC, Mr Patrick Areghan, while visiting its marking centre, said there had been a marginal increase in WAEC fees because of the country’s spiral inflation.

    Areghan said that the conversion of naira to dollar today was a misery saying that the upward review of fees was necessary to enable the council to render its services efficiently to the Nigerian child.

    ”There has to be that marginal increase to enable us to do better services. The examiners are now happy as we are able to increase their marking fees through this marginal increase.

    ”The money actually went for the payment of examiners to enable us satisfy them so that they can do the job better,” he said.

    He said that each student writing the examinations now has to pay N18,000 as against the former N13,950.

    On whether the council was planning to introduce the Computer Based Test (CBT) in the conduct of its examinations, Areghan said CBT would only be achieved if the government provided the required facilities to enable it to conduct such examinations.

    He said that WAEC conducts examinations for over 20,000 secondary schools in the country and in 76 subjects and as such would be difficult to use CBT for its examinations knowing well that a candidate could offer as low as eight subjects.

    In the same vein, Registrar of Council, Mr Pateh Bah, expressed satisfaction with the work carried out by examiners in the centre for prompt release of its results.

    Bah said that the examiners had worked within the time limit of 45 days to which examination results would be released.