The West African Examination Council has banned 13 schools in Kogi State for various examination malpractices in the 2023/2024 examinations.

The state’s Commissioner for Education, Wemi Jones, made the disclosure during a meeting with some principals and supervisors indicted by the council for the examination malpractices.

The commissioner also disclosed that the council had blacklisted 14 supervisors for various degrees of malpractice in the 2023/2024 West Africa Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in the state.

According to him, the government vowed to sanction principals, teachers and supervisors who engaged in or aided examination malpractices in the state.

Mr Jones emphasised that examination malpractices remained a criminal offence and would be treated in accordance with the law.

He said that henceforth, examination malpractice offenders would be prosecuted in accordance with Kogi State Education Law and Other Matters Connected Therewith, 2020.

He stated that a committee would be inaugurated to be headed by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary to investigate personalities indicted by WAEC.

The commissioner warned that whoever was found wanting would be prosecuted in the law court.

Mr Jones said, “Kogi State has invested so much in education and will no longer tolerate the attitude of the ‘bad eggs’ drawing back the gains already made in the education sector.’’

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education, Seidu Jibrin, admonished the principals and the supervisors to desist from any act of examination malpractice.

According to him, such actions are not just robbing the state but destroying the future of the students.

“I urge you to have a sober reflection of your actions, as posterity will judge everyone according to his/her deeds. While some teachers are being called out for awards, it will be wrong for you to be called out for condemnations.

“It is unfortunate that this is happening when Kogi State is investing so much in education; whoever is found culpable will be severely sanctioned,” Mr Jibrin said.