The Federal Government has expressed concern over the low number of convictions in cases of examination malpractice.

On Friday in Abuja, during a one-day sensitization workshop on exam malpractice in Nigeria organized by the National Examinations Council (NECO) in cooperation with the National Assembly, Mr. Andrew Adejoh, the Permanent Secretary, of the Federal Ministry of Education, made the announcement.

In Adejoh’s stead was Zubairu Abdullahi, Director of Special Duties at the Federal Ministry of Education.

He noted that the government had passed several pieces of legislation over the years to address the problem of exam malpractice, but that none of them had been very effective.

“The decree 20 of 1984 prescribing 21 years imprisonment upon conviction and the amended Examination Malpractice Act of 1991 which seek five-year jail term or a fine of N250, 000.

“The effectiveness of these measures is highly debatable, more so that not many have gone to jail because of examination malpractices. I suggest we look into our laws,” he said.

However, he praised NECO and other exam bodies for using technology to counter the threat, stating that this strategy has been quite successful so far.

Speaking also at the event, titled ‘The Role of Education Stakeholders in Tackling Malpractice in Nigeria,’ was   Professor Ibrahim Dantani Wushishi, Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of NECO, who stated that examination malpractice tends to discourage hard work among serious students.

Wushishi called on all parties involved to help pupils break their tendency of looking for shortcuts.

Akon Eyakenyi, deputy head of the Senate Committee on Basic and Secondary Education, shared similar sentiments, saying that exam malpractice undermines public trust in the educational system.

YNaija