The Kwara government has warned secondary school principals in the state against aiding any form of examination malpractice as the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCE, starts on August 17.
The Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Fatimah Ahmed, echoed the warning on Friday in Ilorin.
The meeting involved officials of the Ministry of Education, All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools, ANCOPSS, and the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT.
According to Ahmed, the state government will not hesitate to deal with any erring principal or their agents in the forthcoming examinations.
”The purpose of the meeting is to sound a warning to principals across the state,” the Commissioner noted.
She reminded the principals that Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq-led government had paid a fine to the West Africa Examination Council as a result of lapses created by school principals.
“The pandemic will not be an excuse to allow students to cheat, you should all return home and hand down my warning to all your invigilators.
“Kwara wants a decent examination. We will not harbour or tolerate any form of examination malpractice. We say No to exam malpractice.
“Secret invigilators and intelligence officers will be everywhere to ensure compliance and malpractice-free examination.
“Anti-Corruption agencies will be moving around without notice.
“Anybody caught aiding and abetting examination malpractice or involved in any form of sharp practice will be punished according to the law of the land,” Ahmed stressed.
She advised principals to report any difficult encounter before, during and after any of the papers to appropriate quarters for necessary assistance.
The Commissioner also announced that all Junior Secondary School students in Kwara should resume on Aug.17.
The ANCOPSS President, Kwara chapter, Toyin Abdullahi, also warned that the association would not be a party to any examination malpractice.
Abdullahi urged principals to save education in Nigeria by not being party to examination malpractice.
“ANCOPSS will not stand for anybody. You will face whatever you cause for yourself. We must lead by example as the head,” he said.