The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has banned 13 schools in Kogi State for various degrees of examination malpractices in the 2023/2024 West Africa Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in the state.

The Kogi State Commissioner for Education, Wemi Jones, disclosed this during a meeting with some principals and supervisors who were indicted by WAEC for examination malpractices on Wednesday, November 20, 2024.

The commissioner also disclosed that WAEC blacklisted 14 supervisors for malpractices in the 2023/2024 WASSCE in Kogi State.

Jones said the Kogi State Government has vowed to sanction school principals, teachers, and supervisors who engage in or aid examination malpractices in the state.

Jones stressed that examination malpractices remained a criminal offence and would be treated in accordance with the Law.

He said henceforth examination malpractice offenders would be prosecuted in accordance with Kogi State Education Law and Other Matters Connected Therewith, 2020.

The commissioner stated that a committee would be set up to be headed by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary to investigate personalities indicted by WAEC.

Governor pays N600m WAEC fees for 18,734 Kogi students

Jones warned that whosoever was found wanting would be prosecuted in the court.

“Kogi State has invested so much in education and will no longer tolerate the attitude of the ‘bad eggs’ drawing back the gains already made in the education sector,” he stressed.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Kogi State Ministry of Education, Dr Seidu Jibrin, enjoined the principals and the supervisors to desist from any act of examination malpractice.

According to him, such actions are not just robbing the state but destroying the future of the students.

Jibrin said: “I urge you to have a sober reflection of your actions as posterity will judge everyone according to his/her deeds.

“While some teachers are being called out for awards, it will be wrong for you to be called out for condemnations.

“It is unfortunate that this is happening when Kogi State is investing so much in education, whosoever is found culpable will be severely sanctioned.”

The Star