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Schools in Oyo State where evidence of examination malpractices are found will be severely sanctioned, in accordance with a motion adopted on Wednesday by the State House of Assembly.
The Deputy Chief Whip of the House, Mr. John Olaleru, representing Kajola state constituency, moved the motion, which was seconded by the Deputy Minority Leader, Oyatokun Oyeleke, representing Afijio state constituency.
According to Olaleru, urgent steps must be taken “to curb and reduce incidents of examination malpractices, popularly called ‘runs’ in our society in order to redeem the image of our educational system globally.”
He said schools found guilty should even be prevented from presenting students for public examinations for a period of time.
The motion also seeks, through the Ministry of Education, Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) and State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), to keep database of teachers found to be aiding and abetting examination malpractices and demote or terminate the appointment of such teachers, depending on the severity of involvement.
The Ministry of Education, according to the motion, should create an electronic database of all pupils and students in all public and approved private schools, adding that the government should, through the educational agencies ban any student caught in examination malpractices from writing any public examination in the state for a period of two years.
But a member representing Ibadan South West II state constituency, Mr Olusegun Ajanaku, kicked against a ban of two years on any school where there is evidence of examination malpractices.
He argued that the fingers that sinned should be the one that should be sanctioned. In his opinion, banning of schools where there is evidence of malpractices from presenting candidates for two years would be a disservice to other upright students.