By Ochuko Akuopha

OLEH—FORMER Commissioner for Education in Delta state, Prof. Abednego Ekoko has urged educational stakeholders to uphold examination ethics in schools across the country to pave way for a revolutionary impact on national ethics.

Interacting with newsmen at his Uzere country home, Isoko South Local Government Area, Delta State, Ekoko who is the chairman, Board of Trustees of the Exam Ethics Marshal International, lauded the roles of the State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa and the Ministry of Basic and Secondary  Education  in ushering in the enabling environment for the Delta State Exam Ethics campaign.

“Upholding Examination Ethics will have a revolutionary impact on national ethics in terms of rebuilding the collapsed moral infrastructure of Nigeria if the initiative is replicated in every institution in every state”, he said, commending Okowa for launching the first phase of Examination Ethics Training under the Delta State Teachers Professional Development Programme on 21 January, 2019.

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Saying that West African Examination Council, WAEC, had its  October 2018 report on examination malpractice, reported massive involvement of school principals, teachers, examination supervisors and invigilators in aiding mass cheating, Ekoko noted that the council had sanctioned some schools by de-recognizing them as exam centers and forwarded the names of the schools and perpetrators to the state Governments.

He said: “Governor Okowa did not just respond to the WAEC report alone. He launched initiatives aimed at entrenching ethics, integrity and best practices in Delta State education in general. The Governor took three distinct steps by first declaring a policy of zero tolerance for exam malpractice and academic dishonesty in all their ramifications in Delta State internal and external examinations.

“He also inaugurated an inter-ministerial committee to investigate and sanction those found culpable in all cases of examination misconduct reported by all Exam Boards in internal and external examination.

“Thirdly, he commissioned Exam Ethics Marshals International to work with the ministry of Basic and Secondary Education to develop and distribute the Delta State Exam Ethics Manual and conduct Exam Ethics Training for teaching and non-teaching staff with the Manual as resource literature.”