The Federal Government has proposed the establishment of a National Examination Malpractice Court/Tribunal to swiftly prosecute exam-related offenses and deter future violations.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, made the announcement in Abuja on Friday while receiving the final report from a committee tasked with improving the quality of examinations in Nigeria.
The 17-member committee, chaired by Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), submitted a 12-point report after five months of work. Dr. Alausa assured that all recommendations would be implemented.
“Let me assure you that all 12 recommendations are practicable. Those that can be implemented immediately will be actioned right away,” the Minister stated.
Among the key recommendations:
- Legislation: The Ministry of Education is to collaborate with the National Assembly to pass a law establishing the Exam Malpractice Court/Tribunal.
- Identity Verification: Exam documents (certificates, registration slips, and results) should include candidates’ National Identification Number (NIN), photograph, and date of birth to prevent impersonation.
- Exam Officials’ Registration: Invigilators and supervisors must register using NIN and subscribe to an official shortcode (similar to JAMB’s 55019/66019) to ensure accountability.
- Personnel Swapping: Beginning with the 2025 private SSCE, exam bodies must rotate invigilators and supervisors to reduce familiarity and bias.
- Qualified Officials Only: Invigilators and supervisors should be public officials or pensionable teachers.
- Standardized Facilities: Exam centres must comply with minimum space requirements—1.5m by 1.2m per candidate—and no waivers should be granted.
- CCTV Surveillance: All exam halls should be equipped with fixed CCTV cameras and control rooms for real-time monitoring.
- Joint Monitoring Facilities: Exam bodies are encouraged to share central surveillance infrastructure to cut costs.
- Use of Body Cameras: Body cams should be introduced for added transparency during examinations.
- Unique Education ID: Every pupil should receive a unique code linked to their NIN at the point of entry into the school system, which will track their educational journey.
- Examination Malpractice Act Review: The current 1999 Act is deemed ineffective due to lack of political will or practicality. A full review is recommended to enable enforcement.
- Computer-Based Testing (CBT): Rather than wait until 2027, CBT should be rolled out in 2025 for private exams and fully adopted for school candidates in 2026.
- Continuous Assessment Reform: The current 30% CA component is prone to fraud. A review of the system is urged to restore credibility.
The report underscores the urgent need for structural reforms and strong enforcement to restore the integrity of Nigeria’s examination system.
