EXAM ETHICS GETS ORDER OF MANDAMUS AGAINST WAEC

Justice E.S Chukwu of the federal high court has granted the exam Ethics Marshals Interantional leave to apply for an order of Mandamus.

This order compels the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) to make available documents and information related to the names of invigilators and supervisors reported to states Ministries of Education for aiding examination malpractice in May/June 2013 and May/June 2014 West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination(WASSCE), as well the November/December 2014 WASSCE.
Exam Ethnics Marshals International is an NGO that has been campaigning against exam malpractice, academic dishonesty and corruption in education since 1996.

In a statement, Founding chairman of the group, Ike Onyechere, explained that they applied for the order under the Freedom of Information(FOL) Act after WAEC ignored letters release the information.

He said;"Exam ethnics Had written a letter on May 12, 2015 to WAEC requesting the council to provide information regarding the names of candidates, schools, exam venues, invigilators and supervisors indicated or reported to state ministries of education for aiding and abetting exam malpractices in May/June 2013 and November/December 2014 WAEC EXAMS. The request was sequel to a press conference by WAEC where it announced sanctions against examination admins who aided malpractice without providing the names of those sanctioned.

He also said WAEC did not comply with the seven days ultimatum statutorily stipulated in the FOL ACT which made Exam Ethics to proceed to court to seek for an ORDER OF MANDAMUS compelling WAEC to release the data in line with provision of the act.
Onyechere had argued in an affidavit deposed at the federal High Court on June 2, 2015 that non-disclosure of the names of indicated supervisors and invigilators made it possible for them to continue to participate in administration of public examinations and continue in the practice of compromising the integrity of public examinations.

The court adjourned the case to July15, 2015 for hearing of the substantive application.