Mike Ebonugwo
28 May 2008
Lagos — REPORTS that the examinations recently conducted by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) in Nigeria were marred by gross malpractice as most of the papers leaked were received with shock by parliamentarians at an impromptu bus-stop gathering in Lawanson, Lagos last week.
A parliamentarian who gave his name as Humphrey Akpodonor had lamented what he saw as the worrisome trend whereby candidates for WAEC examinations usually obtain the question papers days before they sit for them.
"I don't really know what is happening again in this country. Why is it that WAEC papers leak every year that they are conducting exams?
In fact, the one that happened this year is even worse. Do you know that almost all the papers leaked to the extent that students could get the question papers to buy one week before they went for the exams?
Honestly this kind thing tire person," he said, addressing a fellow parliamentarian by name Dickson Uwaje. And by way of a response, Dickson had this to say:
"That one doesn't bother me again. Everything we do in this country now is cash and carry. I'm even surprised that you're complaining because everybody in this country knows why WAEC papers leak.
WAEC papers leak because WAEC officials are corrupt; they are hungry and corrupt people who make their money by selling examination papers. And since students are usually desperate to pass their exams, they will go and look for money to buy these papers".
But parliamentarian Chinedu Opara thinks the problem goes beyond corrupt WAEC officials. "I don't see the problem that way. When you talk about examination leakages in this country, the question you should ask yourself is, who are the direct beneficiaries?
Without beating around the bush, I will tell you that it's students or those taking the examinations. The problem is that most of the students you see today in Nigeria don't want to read to pass their examinations.
They just believe in short-cut to achieve anything. It's this short-cut mentality that is disturbing most of them. In the past, as examinations date is approaching, you will see many students preparing seriously by reading very well so that they will be able to pass. That is not the case today. Students now prepare for exams by going to night clubs to dance or attending one public show or the other.
Immediately examination is around the corner they will start looking for expo to buy," he alleged with disapproval.
Parliamentarian Sola Ladipo was quick to concur, adding: "Yes, most of them(students) don't have time to read their books again. But they usually have time to watch films and movies from morning till night, night till morning. Many of them spend most of their time in cyber cafes browsing and chatting with Oyibo people they don't even know.
Others own is to wear the latest fashion or carry the most expensive handsets which they use to do shakara. They will not remember that soon they will be writing their exams until the thing is near. It's then they will start looking for expo or somebody who will help them to write it".
Another parliamentarian who gave his name as Bonny Harry-Wilson believes that the parents of these misguided students are to blame for the problem. "For me, I will blame parents because they are the ones that usually encourage their children to rely on expo in other to pass their examinations.
Most parents today instead of encouraging their children to prepare very well for exams by studying hard usually register their children in special examination centres where they are guaranteed to pass without working hard for it.
Those who register in these special centres don't read in order to pass because the owners of these centres are either WAEC or JAMB officials or have strong links with examination bodies which makes it easy for them to obtain the question papers in advance for those who are registered to sit for these exams in their centres.
Because of this, it's possible for them to write the answers for the exams for their candidates and make sure that all of them pass.
The students that go to centres to register for exams usually do not have money to pay, it's their parents that usually pay for them. So, whichever way you look at it, it's the parents we should blame because by paying for their children to pass exams without reading and working hard for it, they are encouraging them to believe that you cannot pass an examination except you cheat by paying for it through the backdoor," he submitted with conviction.
Parliamentarian Kingsley Okeke, however, believes that the entire system in Nigeria is to blame for the proble.
"Everything everybody has said here today is correct, but the major cause of this problem is the Nigerian system. The fact is that Nigeria is a corrupt country. Most of our leaders are corrupt.
They use the opportunity of being in government to steal our money and later turn around to use the money to oppress we the common people.
Even those in ministries and the private sector companies do the same; everybody is concerned on how much he can steal from the position he occupies. These students see what is happening and now believe that cheating is not only allowed but the proper way of doing things in this country if you want to succeed.
So, when you start hearing that they are cheating in their exams, don't be surprised, they are only telling us that they understand the game and are now playing it the way they have learnt from their parents and others," he posited rather resignedly.
Humphrey's response to this was: "At what cost should we allow this to go on? Everyday we complain that the standard of education is dropping; why won't it drop when we allow something like this to continue.
Why can't the President direct the EFCC to start investigating this matter so that all those involved will be exposed and punished". Kingsley agreed but expressed reservation that the EFCC as presently constituted could not be trusted to do a good job in that respect. A good number of the other parliamentarians agreed with him.
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