Okon Bassey
23 December 2008
Uyo — The Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Nseabasi Akpan said he has received no fewer than 150 threat messages, over the war his ministry had declared against examination malpractice in the state.
The Commisioner who disclosed this at the end of year ministerial joint media briefing in the state, however said the threat would not dissuad him from eradicating examination malpractice in the state
He recalled that the state had been black-listed by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) for exam malpractice, but since he became commissioner, the ministry had made frantic effort to sanitise both the public and private schools against examination malpractice, which had destroyed the credibility of the students and their certificates.
He said the state had constituted an Exam Ethics Committee and given a boost to curb the excesses of most candidates who involved in examination malpractice in both internal and external examination.
"So far the committee has performed well and the exam malpractice has started to decline. It is the determination of my ministry to wipe out the scourge by close monitoring of Examination Success Centres in the state."
Akpan said examination malpractice does not allow the growth and development of any society; hence the aggressive fight against the problem by the state government to reposition the education sector
He said the ministry had formed a nine-man committee to check students loitering and other unwholesome activities during school hours. This, he said, would ensure that the state's free and compulsory education was a success.
"Recently, 50 students from different schools in Uyo metropolis, who were found selling different items during school hours were arrested. The committee later cautioned and released them as first time outing", Akpan said.
The Commissioner said in an on-going effort to reinvigorate the Inspectorate Services, the ministry had within the past one year, updated facilities in the Inspectorate Directorate and embarked on vigorous inspection, supervision and monitoring of schools for purposes of improving standards and quality assurance.
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