FG proscribes 5 years jail term, N200, 000 fine for culprists of exam malpractice

The Federal Executive Council meeting today approved the amendment to an Act of West African Examinations Council (WAEC) that will see exam malpractice  culprists paying a fine of N200,000 or serve five years jail term or both.

Addressing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan, the Minister of Information  along isde the Ministers of Education, Prof Ruqayyat Rufai, Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu, Environment, Hadza Mailafia, said the approvals is to give effect to the revised convention of WAEC, 2003 in Nigeria.

Rufai had tabled a memo before the Council seeking approval for the enactment of an Act to amend the WAEC Act, CAP W4, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004 to give effect to the revised convention of WAEC, 2003 in Nigeria.

The 2004 Act, which is to be amended is empowered to take disciplinary action against those who have committed both the offences and penalties for illegally using examination papers and leakage of examination papers, etc.

Section 19(1) of the Act reads in part as follows: 'such candidate shall not take or be allowed to take or continue the examination, in addition, he shall be prohibited from taking any examination held or conducted by or on behalf of the Council for a period of two years immediately following upon such contraventions and if a candidate aforesaid has already taken any papers at the examination, his result therefrom shall be cancelled.' In addition, the candidate may be prosecuted and if found guilty shall be 'liable on conviction to a fine of N2,000 or imprisonment for a term of five years or to both such fine and imprisonment.'

20 (2) reads: 'the penalties contained in this sub-section (a) may be imposed whether or not a prosecution for an offence under section 20 or 21 of this Act has been brought or is being conducted or contemplated and (b) shall be in addition to such other penalties as a court may impose upon conviction for an offence under the aforesaid .