Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki
Ebonyi State Government on Thursday said that secondary schools in the state are registering for West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) exams.
The state commissioner for Education, Sunday Nwangele, disclosed this during a briefing in Abakaliki, capital of the state.
Nwangele noted that with the timely intervention by the State Government, the de-registration of 345 Secondary Schools from participating in the WAEC examination in the state was lifted.
The Commissioner who debunked media reports that schools in Ebonyi were not registering for WAEC noted that the state has a good working relationship with the examination council.
He further noted that the 74th meeting of the national examination council of WAEC derecognised the affected schools without proof of malpractice.
He said, “We got a notification that several schools in Ebonyi State have been derecognised by WAEC in their 74th meeting of the national examination council.
“They said for alleged examination malpractice this number of schools shall not write WAEC for consecutive 2 years or they pay a fine of 500 thousand naira and other logistics for the conduct of supervisors for external examinations”
“When the notification came to us, the Governor challenged me to rise to it, my ministry inquired of it from WAEC, and the relevant documents were made available to us stating that about 345 schools have been de-recognised.
“When we inquired further we found out that 196 public schools and about 149 private schools including the missionary schools were affected.
“Recently the governor invited all the state actors, the major stakeholders in all the affected schools, and the WAEC team also. The governor inquired from them how much malpractice happened since there were no records of malpractice in the state.
“After much arguments between the state and WAEC, the governor pronounced an intervention of 50 million naira to offset the penalty in bulk to enable schools in Ebonyi to register for the exams and WAEC has acknowledged the receipt.
“As it stands in Ebonyi now, all our schools especially the public schools registered for SSCE/WAEC without any limitations. So there is no confusion anywhere our schools are registered, our children are ready to write WAEC in 2023.
“Furthermore, to drive home our displeasure the governor directed me to convey a very stern warning to all the principals that if any school is accused of exam malpractice if confirmed, the principal will be sacked,” he added.
