WAEC blacklists Abia schools over exam malpractice

 The West African Examination Council, WAEC, had delisted a number of secondary schools in Abia State from participating in the regional body’s exams over involvement in examination malpractice.

Commissioner for Education Professor Uche Eme Uche, who disclosed this during a press briefing in Umuahia, said the state had just been informed by the exam body about the development.

Although she failed to disclose the affected schools, the commissioner said they were mostly private schools.

The commissioner, who frowned at any act capable of tarnishing the image of the state, said the operational licences of the affected schools would be withdrawn as a deterrent to others.

She explained that the state supported the action by WAEC as it would help halt the bastardization and lowering of academic standards in schools by some dubious operators.

Professor Uche said that the state had previously shut down some of the affected schools due to their unwholesome practices, regretting that instead of heeding the warnings, they continued to cut corners.

Speaking earlier, Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, said that Governor Otti had approved the immediate renovation of 170 primary and 51 public secondary schools across the state.

He said 10 primary and three secondary schools would be selected from each of the 17 Local Government Areas in the state.

The renovation, according to him, is to give a facelift to public schools in the state and make them conducive and attractive.