Alausa Warns Parents, Teachers, Students Against Examination Malpractice

The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, has warned parents, teachers, school proprietors, principals, invigilators and students against examination malpractice, saying the Federal Government is determined to restore integrity and credibility to Nigeria’s public examination system.

Alausa gave the warning during a meeting with the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) and other stakeholders in the education sector, where he said malpractice had become deeply entrenched and was creating an unfair environment for students who prepare honestly for examinations.

The minister said the practice does more than distort examination results, stressing that it puts hardworking students at a disadvantage and gradually erodes confidence in certificates and qualifications awarded by the country’s education system.

He said the responsibility for tackling examination malpractice could not be placed solely on students, as several actors within the education system contribute to the problem.

Alausa therefore urged parents, teachers, proprietors, school heads and invigilators to uphold examination rules, provide conducive learning environments and discourage any practice that gives candidates improper access to examination materials.

According to him, the Federal Government is strengthening examination administration and introducing measures to make public examinations more secure, with the aim of ensuring that results reflect students’ actual knowledge and ability.

He said the measures were part of the broader education reforms of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration, which are targeted at improving standards, strengthening accountability and rebuilding confidence in Nigeria’s assessment system.

The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, also urged private school proprietors and other education stakeholders to support the ongoing reforms.

Ahmad noted that tighter examination controls could initially reveal gaps in students’ actual preparation, particularly among candidates who had become accustomed to obtaining leaked questions before external examinations.

She explained that some students who appeared to perform exceptionally well in internal school examinations might struggle in external examinations when access to leaked questions was eliminated.

The minister said the introduction of serialised examination questions would make it more difficult for candidates to rely on leaked materials, while encouraging genuine preparation.

She urged schools to ensure that their curricula were completed on schedule and to promote regular study among students.

Ahmad assured private education stakeholders that the Ministry of Education would continue to engage with and support them as the reforms were implemented.

She said the ultimate objective was to ensure that examination results served as a reliable measure of what students actually knew and could do.

Alausa, meanwhile, assured stakeholders that the Federal Government would continue to collaborate with private schools, examination bodies and other partners to strengthen the credibility of the nation’s examination system.

He said the administration was determined to protect students who genuinely worked for their qualifications and establish an education system in which academic success was based on knowledge, hard work and merit.