Obaseki orders arrest of teachers over examination malpractice

• UNIBEN gets first indigenous software for CBT

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, yesterday ordered the arrest of some school teachers who were allegedly involved in manipulation of the primary six school leaving certificate examinations.He assured that basic education in the state would be strengthened to achieve high standard of primary education.
   
Obaseki stated this when he paid an unscheduled visit to some of the examination centers in Benin City including Ebenezer Primary School, Ivbyenova Primary School, St Saviour, George Idah Primary School and Ologbosere Primary School in Ikpoba Okha council of the state.

Obaseki visited the schools with the state Head of Service, Mrs. Gladys Idahon, the Chief of Staff, Taiwo Akerele, and Special Adviser on Basic Education, Joan Oviawe, among others.

His words: “We decided that we will have the examination for primary six pupils today. As a policy, we decided that the examination will be a lot better and a more professionally organised.

“Private schools and public schools are being tested. We had a situation where teachers in primary schools tried to influence the examination so they can claim that children from their schools did better than the ones in public schools in the examination.

“It also gave us an insight into the level of preparations our children are given to seat for the exams, their level of confidence and I am quite satisfied with what we have seen today. I am also bothered about the corruption in our examination process. You could see a lot of parents have to be kept out.

“In one of the schools, they may have paid for their children to do well and they wanted access into the schools so that they can influence the examination but they were stopped.”

Meanwhile, as part of efforts to boost access to learning, the University of Benin (UNIBEN) has deployed the first indigenous software for its Computer Based Test (CBT) internal and external examinations.Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Osasere Faraday Orumwense disclosed this during the institution’s 2017 Information Communication Technology (ICT) Day.

Orumwense also said plans were underway to launch the Uniben Open Course wave, which would make the university top in Webometrics rankings.A statement by the university’s spokesman, Michael Osasuyi, said
the Director of Nigeria Research and Education Network (NREN), Abuja, Joshua Atah, made presentations at the event through a live streaming to the audience.

He added that the live streaming titled: “Unlimited Access to Learning for Everyone, Everywhere: ICT the Rostrum,” was aimed at boosting ICT efficiency in the 21st century.