The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has unbanned 345 secondary schools it blacklisted in Ebonyi for malpractices.

This was after the state government paid the fines slammed on the erring school by the examination body.

Ebonyi State Commissioner for Education, Sunday Nwagele, said the government stepped him to offset the fines to the tune of N50 million after WAEC said the schools would not partake in the exams or pay a fine of N500,000 each for infractions.

“We got a notification that several schools in Ebonyi State have been derecognised by WAEC in their 74th meeting of the national examination council,” Mr Nwagele explained.

“When we inquired further we found out that 196 public schools and about 149 private schools including the missionary schools were affected.”

The commissioner said after much enquiries, evidence of examination malpractices could not be found but the government had to reach a truce with WAEC.

“As it stands in Ebonyi now, all our schools, especially the public schools, registered for SSCE/WAEC without any limitations. So there is no confusion anywhere our schools are registered, our children are ready to write WAEC in 2023,” Mr Nwagele asserted.

“To drive home our displeasure, the governor directed me to convey a very stern warning to all the principals that if any school is accused of exam malpractice, the principal will be sacked.”