Rivers Demotes 14 Principals As 21 Private Schools Lose Licences
BY OUR CORRESPONDENT – For their alleged involvement in examination malpractices, 14 principals of public schools in Rivers State have been demoted by the State government.
Also hard hit by the government’s sanctions are 21 private schools whose operational licences have been withdrawn with immediate effect.
According to the State Commissioner for Education, Professor Kaniye Ebeku, who spoke to journalists in Port Harcourt on Monday, the action followed a letter written to the State Ministry of Education by the West African Examination Council (WAEC).
He said the letter contained a list of 35 secondary schools in the state that have been delisted for malpractices in the conduct of WAEC exams in 2021.
Prof Ebeku said; “We received a letter from WAEC containing the list of 35 secondary schools in the state that have been delisted for the purpose of writing WAEC examinations and their offences.
“This bothered on the fact that it was discovered that there were some malpractices in the conduct of last year’s examinations.
“Upon receipt of the letter, we immediately invited the affected schools to a meeting. We presented this information to them, and found that those at the helms of affairs in the various schools allowed this sort of situation to arise.”
The Commissioner explained that arising from the development, the State government has decided to apply certain sanctions to serve as a deterrent to others.
He said; “For all principals, who are still in service and who superintended at the time this situation arose, we have directed that they be demoted.
“For all schools that are found in the list, we have directed that their licences to operate be withdrawn forthwith.”
The Education Commissioner warned that the Governor Nyesom Wike-led administration will not condone any form of examination malpractices, whether in public and private schools in the state.
He further said that anyone in the system found guilty of such malpractices and unwholesome activities would not be spared by the State government.
