WAEC De-lists 25 Lagos Schools Over Malpractice

No fewer than 25 private secondary schools in Lagos State have been delisted by the West African Examination Council, WAEC and the National Examination Council, NECO, for engaging in malpractice during their 2015 May\June Senior Secondary School exams held nationwide.

By this development, all the affected schools will not present candidates for the two exams for a certain number of undisclosed years.

This information was revealed by the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr Idiat Adebule while addressing proprietors of private primary and secondary schools in the state at a stakeholders’ meeting at Alausa, saying the state government was not only sad about the situation, but also has a zero tolerance for all forms of sharp practices in all schools in the state.

Adebule, who doubles as the Commissioner for Education in the state however threatened that government would not hesitate to close down those schools permanently if they fail to repent and desist from the unlawful practice after completing their punishment.

According to her, there is no room for any school to cut corner in Lagos State. It is either you are in or out of business.

So, if you choose to be in, you must have to obey the rules and regulations guiding your operations.

“It is disheartening to hear that some of you have turned your schools to miracle centres doing all sorts of sharp practices to get undue marks so as get more patronage and huge money at the detriment of your students.

This attitude must have to stop as Lagos is for excellence,” the deputy governor further warned. Adebule pointed out that teachers ought to be good (and not bad) role models to their students by being disciplined in all ramifications.

While acknowledging the fact that there might be officers from the ministry asking for bribe when come for inspection, she said proprietors would compromise only when they have skeleton in their cupboards.

“So, you do not need to pay any money outside the official levies to anybody,” she restated.

She disclosed that state government was about conducting census on private schools to know their actual number, noting that some proprietors only come for name search and thereafter start operating without approval.

“That is why we have only about 4,000 schools that are approved out of over 11,000 operating in the state, which is totally wrong,” she said.

Adebule, however, promised that the government would look into the issue of multiple taxation and high levies the school owners often complain to be charged by government at various levels.

Earlier in her address of welcome, the Director- General of Quality Assurance in the state, Mrs. Ronke Soyombo while acknowledging the strong contribution of private schools in the education development of the state restated that his office would be committed to ensure standard is adhered to by both the public and private schools in the state.

In his own remarks, the President of National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, Lagos chapter, Alhaji Kamal Akande asked government not only to soft pedal in its education policies but also to create enabling environment that would aid their effective operations.