Ebun Olowu
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC), Nigeria, has stated that none of the question papers in the ongoing 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) leaked.
WAEC said contrary to the misleading impression by some online media, the integrity of the ongoing examination has not been compromised.
According to Demianus G. Ojijeogu, Head, Public Affairs, WAEC Nigeria, the institution’s attention has been drawn to publications on social and other media, some even (mis)quoting the Head of National Office of WAEC-Nigeria, Patrick Areghan, as confirming same.
“This is far from the truth and we take very strong exception to it,” he said.
Ojijeogu noted that for the avoidance of doubt, and for the benefit of the general public, there has been no leakage of any paper, whatsoever.
“The Council’s Monitoring/Investigations have revealed that some unscrupulous and unpatriotic Supervisors/Invigilators, and in some cases, candidates, snap the question papers (while the examination is in progress) and forward to their outside collaborators who in turn, provide solutions to the questions which they send to their subscribers via criminally-inclined websites, SMS and WhatsApp, even as this is against our regulation of: Use Of Cell Phones In The Examination Hall Is Not Allowed,” he said.
Some culprits who were caught in the act in Bauchi, Nasarawa and Rivers States have been arrested and will be prosecuted.
Ojijeogu stated that the Council once again wishes to advise candidates, invigilators and supervisors to shun every act of examination malpractice. The Supervisors, who are secondary school teachers, should justify the confidence reposed in them by the various State Ministries of Education that nominated them to supervise the ongoing WASSC examination.
He urged all news media to guard against sensational and irresponsible journalism.
