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The National Examinations Council (NECO) and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) have warned that the abduction of students and teachers during examinations could inflict severe psychological trauma on victims and undermine public confidence in Nigeria’s education system.
The examination bodies called for stronger collaboration among government agencies, security operatives, school authorities and other stakeholders to protect educational institutions against insurgency, banditry and other security threats.
Representatives of the two examination bodies raised the concerns at the seventh annual summit of the Education Writers Association of Nigeria (EWAN) in Lagos.
The summit themed: “Schools Under Threat: From Reactive Response to Sustainable Protection,” brought together education stakeholders and security agencies to examine strategies for safeguarding schools and ensure uninterrupted learning in Lagos
The NECO representative and Lagos state coordinator, Mr. Titus Babasola, expressed concern over the devastating consequences of abducting candidates and teachers while preparing for or participating in national examinations.
He said NECO remained committed to conducting examinations despite security challenges in different parts of the country.
Babasola urged EWAN to sustain its advocacy for school safety, expressing optimism that continued engagement and collaboration among stakeholders would help Nigeria overcome insurgency, banditry and killings.
He noted that the country’s security challenges had evolved over the years, making it imperative to strengthen measures to protect students, teachers and educational facilities.
Also speaking, a WAEC representative, Akinbode Akinshola, identified as the acting head of security in the council’s printing division, highlighted the security risks associated with examination administration.
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