Alausa Warns Parents, Teachers, Schools Against Exam 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 credibility to Nigeria’s public examination system.

Alausa issued the warning on Thursday during a meeting with the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools and other education stakeholders.

He said examination malpractice had become deeply entrenched in the education system, creating an unfair advantage for candidates who gain access to examination materials while disadvantaging students who prepare honestly.

According to him, malpractice not only distorts examination results but also undermines confidence in qualifications awarded by the Nigerian education system.

The minister said tackling the problem required collective responsibility, stressing that students were not the only participants in examination malpractice.

He urged parents, teachers, proprietors, principals and invigilators to uphold examination rules, provide proper learning environments and discourage practices that give candidates unfair access to examination materials.

Alausa said the Federal Government was strengthening examination administration to make public examinations more secure and ensure that results reflect genuine learning and merit.

He said the measures formed part of the wider education reforms of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration aimed at improving standards, strengthening accountability and rebuilding public confidence in the country’s assessment system.

The Minister of State for Education, Prof Suwaiba Said Ahmad, urged private school proprietors and other stakeholders to support the reforms, warning that tighter examination controls could initially expose gaps in students’ actual preparation.

She said some students who appeared to perform exceptionally well in internal examinations might have become accustomed to accessing leaked questions ahead of external examinations.

According to her, the introduction of serialised examination questions would make it more difficult for candidates to rely on leaked materials and encourage genuine preparation.

Ahmad urged schools to complete their curricula on schedule and encourage students to study consistently, assuring private education stakeholders that the Ministry would continue to engage with them during the implementation of the reforms.

She said the ultimate objective was to ensure that examination results provide a credible assessment of students’ knowledge and abilities.

Alausa assured stakeholders that the Federal Government would continue working with private schools, examination bodies and other partners to strengthen the integrity of Nigeria’s examination system.

He said the administration remained committed to protecting genuine learners and building an education system where academic qualifications are earned through knowledge, hard work and merit.