The Nigeria Examinations Committee (NEC) of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), says the pressure on schools’ principals to achieve better performance at all cost has led to an upsurge of examination malpractice.
The Head, Public Affairs, Mr Damianus Ojijeogu said this in a communiqué issued  at the end of the committee’s 63rd meeting of the council on Thursday in Lagos.
According to Ojijeogu, the meeting held from Tuesday, March 28 to Wednesday, March 29.
He told newsmen in an interview in Lagos that the development was worrisome and must be discouraged in order to get the education sector back on track.
Ojijeogu said that the quest to achieve the much needed national transformation and development might not be realised soon; if stakeholders failed to do the needful to achieve positive results.
According to him, WAEC will continue to remain committed in protecting the integrity of its examinations no matter what it takes.
He said that the committee called on government at all levels and all stakeholders to intensity the fight against examination malpractice by sanctioning reported erring supervisors and invigilators.
“The committee has also called on state governments and Ministries of Education to closely monitor the conduct of WAEC examinations by appointing officials of high integrify to monitor examination centres,’’ he said.
According to him, during the 63th meeting, the committee received reports on irregularities, special and clemency cases arising from the conduct of the 2016 WASSCE for school candidates.
He added that the committee also considered a report on the conduct of the 2016 WASSCE for private candidates, and irregularities arising from the conduct of the examination.
Ojijeogu noted that the committee after diligent deliberations on all reported cases also approved appropriate sanctions in all established cases of malpractice.
“This is as prescribed by the rules and regulations governing the conduct of the council’s examinations.
“It approved the Cancellation of Entire Results (CER) of candidates involved in proven cases, j1ust as subject results of those involved in proven cases attracted Cancellation of Subject Results (CSR).
“In addition, some candidates will also suffer other sanctions such as barring them from sitting for the council’s examinations for a certain number of years; while some examination centres will be de-listed.