Exam malpractice (popularly known as “expo”) used to be a carefully planned and executed offence. There was fear that discovery could lead to the cancellation of the exam, withholding of the results by the governing body and severe disciplinary action – even prosecution – for candidates, teachers and exam officials implicated.

Unfortunately, corruption has virtually overwhelmed the system, and our educational system is not exempt. Exam officials, teachers and students openly engage in the buying and selling of exam questions and answers once the papers are approved.

But what happened recently in Ondo State showed that even some parents are now so deeply involved in procuring “expo” for their children and wards that they are ready to go to war against our educational and law enforcement. An unnamed mother of an SS3 student of Complete Child Development College, Aule in Akure, Ondo State, reportedly hired hoodlums to assault the Vice Principal simply named as “Mr Rotifa”, for preventing her child from engaging in exam malpractice.

According to the preliminary report of an investigation by the Ondo State Director of Schools, Mr Rotifa had seized an android phone that the student was using to commit his nefarious act. Outraged, the mother of the offending student reportedly hired some hoodlums who overwhelmed a police van with two police officers detailed to protect Mr Rotifa. The Vice Principal had to be hospitalised as a result of his injuries.

This is a very unfortunate, pathetic and shameful event. It shows how down the drain our value system has sunk. What would motivate a parent to champion the criminal activity of her child to the extent of attacking the educational and law enforcement agencies of government without fear of the consequences?

We call for the background of this family, especially the mother, to be thoroughly investigated. In most cases, people who act without fear of government are either very highly connected politically as to see themselves as being above the law, or they are part of the deep underworld such as cultists; or both.

We call on the Governor of the State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, to come out and personally show leadership in this matter. It is a double slap on the faces of education and law enforcement in Ondo State and Nigeria as a whole. Governor Aiyedatiwa must show he has zero tolerance to this. This matter is bigger than merely sending civil servants to tackle it.

That “mother” and all involved in this ugly episode should be investigated by the law enforcement agents and prosecuted to show that Ondo State does not take such dastardly infractions lightly. Unless this is done, teachers and educational officials will live in fear of students and their parents.

Without discipline, our educational system is dead.