WE have just emerged from a gubernatorial contest in Edo State. The election is being adjudged as free, fair and credible(?). For fear of being labelled a sadist, one is forced to join the bandwagon and admit that even if the election was not an outright success, it was perhaps a lesser failure than its forebears.

UMUAHIA—ABIA State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji, yesterday, decried the high-level of rot in the nation’s education, especially the upsurge in examination malpractices, lamenting that it was affecting the development of the country.

The Governor, who spoke at a two-day workshop on conduct of examinations jointly organised by Abia State Ministry of Education and Exam Ethics Marshals International, at Ibeku High School, Umuahia, however, said, the state was taking action to address the challenge in Abia.

In the message entitled “Education is the Key,” the governor lamented that education had failed as change agent because of “collapse of its moral foundation.”

He said: “It is the role of education to produce change agents for transformation of opportunities and potentials into development realities. But education is having problems in fulfilling this role in Nigeria because of collapse of its moral foundation. We have our own share of this problem in Abia state, hence our determination to do something about it.

“We are taking action to ensure that Abia takes its rightful place as one of the best exam ethics states in Nigeria as practical step towards addressing the challenge of weakening moral foundation. This is the reason for my declaration of policy of zero exam malpractice in Abia state examination system.”

Orji commended Exam Ethics Marshals International for its effort in fighting examination malpractices, and noted that the effect was already being felt in the state with the bright performance of Abia students in national quiz and debates.

In her address, the commissioner for education, Mrs. Monica Philips, lauded Exam Ethics and reminded the participants that the workshop would equip them to serve as “transformational change agents in the education sector.  Commitment of oneself to the code of ethical self regulation and self discipline in carrying out your duties should be paramount to you all. You should also insist on the best practices that will influence the youths who are most vulnerable to the antics of perpetrators of examination malpractices whose sole aim is to destroy these impressionable minds.”

She lamented that “examination malpractices have jeopardised the purpose and desire of most parents and the nation at large”, and called for all hands to be on deck to eradicate this cankerworm that has eaten deep into the fabrics of our great nation”.

In his remarks, the founding chairman of Exam Ethics Marshals International, Chief Ike Onyechere, insisted that participation and passing the examination at the workshop form the basis for selecting examination administrators.

The Minister of State for Education, Barr Nyesom Wike has directed principals of Unity schools across the country to prioritize their projects ahead of the funds that would be made available to the colleges in the 2013 budget.

MAIDUGURI—GOVERNOR Kashim Shettima of Borno State, has warned contractors handling the renovation of eight secondary schools, recently awarded by the state government at N3.7 billion, to ensure they deliver quality work and according to specifications or face disciplinary action.

Nigeria’s U-20 Women National Team were on Wednesday denied a second victory by Brazil who got a late equalizer to secure a 1-1 draw at the on-going FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Saitama, Japan.