The Head of the Nigeria National Office of the West African Examinations Council, Patrick Areghan, on Thursday, disclosed that 56 roadside operators were apprehended over their involvement in examination malpractice in the ongoing 2023 May/June Senior Secondary Certificate Examination.
Areghan, who disclosed this while on an inspection tour of some schools in Abuja, added that about 15 others, comprising – students, school proprietors and teachers were also arrested.
He said the arrest was made in Maiduguri, Ibadan, Abeokuta and Umuahia, adding that the suspects would be handed over to the police, who will parade them on national televisions, preparatory to their prosecution.
The WAEC boss specifically noted that the hired supervisors were the ones giving the Council problems through their deep involvement in examination malpractice because of the huge amount of money they make from it.
He said the supervisors were usually recommended by the Ministry of Education as “trusted hands” due to the low staff strength of WAEC.
However, he described the inspection which was held on Thursday as very important because students sat for an important subject which is Mathematics on that day and it exposed the level of culpability of those involved in cheating.
Areghan stressed, “We are not interested in failing students but in seeing them pass, but the only thing is we cannot help them to pass. We can only encourage them by telling them what to and not to do. We are talking to them to make sure they don’t get involved in examination malpractice.
“We have arrested students in Ibadan, we arrested a supervisor, some candidates, and other groups. In Maiduguri, supervisors and candidates were arrested, while in Abeokuta, a school proprietor who started it (examination malpractice) from the beginning of the examination was arrested along with others. In Osogbo, a candidate and supervisor and so many others in Umuahia too, who were involved in the illegal act, were arrested.”
“We have gone further by identifying and arresting the rogue operators involved in malpractice unlike last year,” the WAEC boss informed.
He advised the candidates not to rely on the use of “expo” while sitting for examinations, saying they are fake.
“Do not copy what your mate is writing because there is nothing that will make you write the same thing. If you rely on cheating, that means you have failed, and we want you to pass,” Areghan admonished the students.
