Edo State Examination Scandal: Govt. Cancels Paper Amidst Leaked Question Papers

By Reporter

The Edo State Ministry of Education has announced the cancellation of one of the leaked question papers for the ongoing Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) due to the public outcry that trailed the discovery of question papers for yet to be held test.

Midwest Herald had earlier reported an exclusive story of the examination malpractice which involves officials of Edo State Government who were accused by stakeholders of deliberately leaking examination questions to teachers in public schools to enable them prepare their pupils for the test.

One of the several papers reported by Midwest Herald was the ‘Creative and Cultural Arts (CCA)’ that was scheduled for yesterday, Friday, June 14, 2024 has been cancelled.

According to the Commissioner of Communication and Orientation, the decision follows a viral video showing leaked copies of the examination paper being used to wrap roasted corn. The episode expectedly has sparked outrage and concern over the integrity of Edo State examination process and claims of Governor Godwin Obaseki’s EdoBest education reforms.

The Ministry’s decision was communicated through a public notice signed by Ero Ugiagbe on behalf of the Commissioner of Education.

The notice reads: “The Ministry of Education guarantees the integrity and security of our examinations, aligning with international standards.

“We prioritize the unbiased and merit-based education of our children, untainted by political interference.

“In response to the alleged Cultural and Creative Arts(CCA) question paper leak, the Ministry, in collaboration with stakeholders such as AFED, APSON, NAPPS, and others, has decided to cancel the scheduled examination for tomorrow, 14″June, 2024. Instead, a practical assessment will be conducted at a later date, which will supplement the Continuous Assessment scores to determine the students’ final grades.

“The Ministry apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding in our commitment to ensuring the integrity of our examinations.”

A tease message had earlier been hurriedly share on the WhatsApp group of APSON who raised the alarm that the state government was aiding and abetting examination fraud in the public schools to the detriment of private schools.

“Good evening all. I am directed to inform everyone concerned that Friday 14th June, 2024, tomorrow’s paper, Creative And Cultural Arts (CCA)has been cancelled. We are sorry for any inconveniences this may have caused you,” the message read.

Sources say the subject was one of the many examination papers that were made available to school heads by the Ministry so teachers could coach students on the correct answers as part of hyping the success of the government’s ẸdoBEST program.

It was gathered that this practice has been in vogue since the inception of EdoBest ‘education reform’ by Mr. Obaseki’s administration, in a bid to create a make believe high standards in the Edo State education system.

The state government is yet to assure the public the steps it will take to prevent future leaks by agents of government. This incident underscores the importance of maintaining strict security measures for examination papers to uphold the integrity of the educational system in Edo State.

Curiously, the shameful discovery happened during the week Edo government celebrated the annual jamboree ritual called “Education Week”, which has remained a major source to drain the state’s resources.

Read Also: Obaseki Faces Basic Education Exam Backlash After Suspected Question Leak