Regina Otokpa, Abuja
A Professor of Educational Foundation, Faculty of Education, University of Lagos, Ngozi Osarenren, has said one way to tackle the menace of examination malpractices was to ensure invigilators were credible men or women with integrity.
Osarenren, who spoke while delivering the 27th annual West African Examinations Council (WAEC) Endowment Fund lecture with the topic: ‘Assessing the Assessors: Looking Back and Looking Forward’ on Monday in Abuja, maintained that supervisors remain key assessors in the process of quality assurance for every examination.
She urged examination bodies including WAEC, to pay more attention on the type of persons selected and appointed to supervise examination, as they play key roles in ensuring that the integrity of such examinations were not compromised.
She said: “Examination bodies must make concerted efforts in selecting people to serve as supervisors during each examination. We must focus on the integrity of the supervisor.
“We should focus on the integrity of the supervisor. The supervisor should be above board in terms of credibility and integrity. He/she should not compromise in the face of juicy offers from school administration. That will be a distraction from the rules of engagement once he or she falls for the temptation then there goes our desired goal of quality in the process of the examination.
“We must refrain from selecting and appointing people we cannot vouch for their integrity. Poor and very low pay, however, has proven to be one of the reasons why some examiners, script markers and supervisors would want to compromise the integrity of examinations.
“If the invigilator compromises that becomes a minus for the eventual outcome. When invigilators are diligent in carrying out their duties, as expected, they should be protected in the case of any eventuality.
“The quality of the teacher then becomes of concern because some invigilators, though not the subject teacher of the on-going paper, may smuggle out the Question Paper to be solved and the answers brought back into the Examination Hall for the students to copy.”
The Council’s Head of National Office, Mr Patrick Areghan, who gave assurances of its commitment in improving the remuneration of supervisors and invigilators, noted that: “Beginning from the conduct of this year’s examination for school candidates, we shall increase the fees paid to those who assist us in carrying out the exercise.”
