The Head of Nigeria National Office of the West African Examinations Council, Patrick Areghan, has revealed that it has arrested some students caught cheating during the ongoing WASSCE in Ibadan.
He said the student would be prosecuted, adding that 56 roadside operators were apprehended across some other states over their involvement in examination malpractice in the ongoing 2023 May/June Senior Secondary Certificate Examination.
“We have gone further by identifying and arresting the rogue operators involved in malpractice unlike last year,” the WAEC boss informed.
He advised the candidates not to rely on the use of “expo” while sitting for examinations, saying they are fake.
“Do not copy what your mate is writing because there is nothing that will make you write the same thing. If you rely on cheating, that means you have failed, and we want you to pass,” Areghan adminished the students.
Areghan, who disclosed this while on an inspection tour to some schools in Abuja, added that about 15 others, comprising – students, school proprietor and teachers were also arrested.
The WAEC boss specifically noted that the hired supervisors were the ones giving the Council problem through their deep involvement in examination malpractice because of the huge amount of money the make from it.
He said the supervisors are usually recommended by the Ministry of Education as “trusted hands” due to the low staff strength of WAEC.
However, he described the inspection which held on Thursday, as very important because students sat for an important subject which is Mathematics. on that day and it exposed the level of culpability of those involved in cheating.
Areghan stressed, “We are not interested in failing students but in seeing them pass, but the only thing is we cannot help them to pass. We can only encourage them by telling them what to and not to do. We are talking to them to make sure they don’t involve in examination malpractice.
