The Federal Government has proposed the establishment of a National Examination Malpractice Tribunal to enable prompt prosecution of individuals found guilty of cheating in examinations across Nigeria.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, announced the proposal in Abuja on Friday while receiving the report of a 17-member committee on improving the quality of examinations in the country.
The committee was chaired by the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede.
Dr. Alausa assured that the 12-point recommendations contained in the report would be fully implemented, stressing the need for urgent reforms to restore the integrity of Nigeria’s examination system.
“Let me assure the committee members that you have done so much work here, and the recommendations you have given us as a government, we will implement every single one of them. They are all practicable,” the minister said.
The committee, inaugurated in January, called on the Federal Ministry of Education to work with the National Assembly to enact legislation for the establishment of a dedicated tribunal for examination malpractice.
The tribunal, according to the committee, would facilitate swift prosecution and serve as a deterrent to would-be offenders.
Among the other recommendations was the integration of candidates’ National Identification Number (NIN), photographs, and date of birth into all examination documents, including registration and result slips.
This move is aimed at curbing impersonation and identity theft.
The committee also proposed that all invigilators and supervisors must be registered public officials using a short code system similar to JAMB’s 55019/66019 platform.
The four major examination bodies — WAEC, NECO, NABTEB, and NBAIS — expressed strong opposition to the current practice of student swapping, and recommended that changes to supervision protocols should commence with the 2025 private SSCE.
Furthermore, the report recommended: Installation of stationary CCTV cameras and mini control rooms in all examination centres.
Use of body-worn cameras for examination officials.
Adoption of Computer-Based Examinations (CBE) for objective tests beginning with private exams in 2025, and full implementation for school candidates by 2026.
Mandatory generation of a unique pupil code at the point of entry into basic education, linked to their NIN and maintained throughout the academic journey.
Standardisation of examination hall dimensions to 1.8 sqm per candidate, with no exemptions for any school.
The committee also expressed concern over the 30% continuous assessment component in the Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations, describing it as “a veritable source of corruption.”
It recommended that the system be urgently reviewed to address fraudulent practices in score documentation.
On legal enforcement, the committee lamented that the 1999 Examination Malpractice Act had remained largely unimplemented, suggesting either a lack of political will or flaws in the law itself. It called for a comprehensive review to make the Act actionable.
Dr. Alausa commended the committee for its extensive work and reiterated the government’s readiness to act decisively against exam fraud..
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