Prof. Abednego Ekoko, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Exam Ethics Marshal International, has called for continued advocacy by stakeholders to end exam malpractice in the country.
Ekoko said this while addressing awardees at the 2018 Safe School Leadership Empowerment Conference and Awards in Abuja on Thursday.
He called on the awardees to join in the advocacy against exam malpractice in the country.
According to him, the level of exam malpractice in Nigeria is almost unbearable.
“We want you to join the crusade against exam malpractice in all its ramifications as you win this award.
“Let us all join hands so that we can tackle this cankerworm called exam malpractice that has eaten deep into our society,” he said.
He, however, urged the awardees to continue to be shinning examples in their generation and profession.
Mr Ike Onyechere, Chairman, Organising Committee of the Conference, said the award was one of the components of the Safe School Empowerment Project (SASEP), which was launched in 2014.
Onyechere added that SASEP was launched with the support and facilitation of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Fire Service and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
He said the project was coordinated by Safe School Academy International in collaboration with Exam Ethics Marshals International and Ethics Resource Centre, Nigeria.
Onyechere, who is also the Chairman, Exam Ethics Marshal International, said the awardees deserved to be awarded and recognised.
He said the insecurity in schools would have been worsened if some people had not risen to the challenge of protecting schools, such as the principals, proprietors, and government agencies.
“Even though the issue of insecurity in our schools is still there, the awardees inputs have impacted positively and helped to prevent some attacks in our schools,” he said.
Onyechere said the award committee based its decisions on the extent to which nominees complied with 10 safe school best practices factors.
According to Onyechere, the manual gives comprehensive knowledge on protection, precautionary, preventive and mitigation best practices, protocols and measures against security risks, threats and vulnerability in educational institutions.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Safe School Manual was also launched.
Dr Nasir Idris, National President, Nigeria Union of Teachers, and Mrs Maria Mark, Director (Education), Ministry of Defence, won the Safe School Leadership Impact Award.
Other winners are: Kenechukwu Nwosu, Executive Chairman, Abia State Universal Basic Education Board as best SUBEB Chairman in Nigeria Safe School Award, Dr Micheal Arimanwa, Rector, Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, as Best Polytechnic Rector.
The FCT Department of Quality Assurance, got the Best Education Regulatory Agency and Funtaj International School, Abuja, won the Best Private School in the country.
Nigerian teachers won the 2018 Safe School Heroes Award.
Some of the awardees in their response thanked the organisers for recognising their efforts in ensuring safety in educational institutions in the country.
They also promised to continue to be at the forefront of ensuring safety in schools.
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