WAEC Decertifies 13 Schools In Gombe Over Examination Malpractice

13  Senior Secondary Schools in Gombe State have faced decertification in four years, by the West African Examination Council (WAEC).

The Director of Examination, Ministry of Education, Gombe State, Ali Yaya, disclosed that the schools were certified for reasons related to malpractice.

Yaya revealed this during a session with principals of the state-owned secondary schools and the management of the ministry.

He announced that if measures were not put in place to address the situation, the decertification would pose great consequences.

“From 2018 to 2020, seven of our public senior secondary schools were found to be involved in Examination Malpractice which led to their derecognition by the WAEC.

“Similarly in 2022, the Ministry received a fresh set of six schools that committed the same offence and they were also de-recognised with a penalty of N500,000 fee per school payable to WAEC," Yaya said.

The Director lamented the impact of the de-certification on the overall student performance in the 2022 Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations as seen in the results.

Yaya, however, noted that examination malpractice, which is the major challenge facing senior secondary schools in the state at the moment, must be addressed.

“The percentage of 2022 result was 55.6 percent as against 79.5 percent for 2021 and this is in connection with the examination malpractice recorded in six of our schools,” he added.

Issuing a warning to schools, he said “Any principal found wanting again in any form of Exams Malpractice will be seriously punished and the penalty should be paid by the school.”

The Commissioner for Education, Dr. Aishatu Maigari,  when contacted on the plans of the state government through the ministry of education planned to address the development by the examination body, said the government would never be in support of malpractices.

“Zero tolerance to exam malpractice is our stand,” Maigari said.