NASU seeks stakeholder parley on examination malpractices

Urges declaration of state of emergency in education

The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) has urged the convocation of all the stakeholders in the education sector to fashion out policies that will end examination malpractices in the country.

Rising from its 36th NASU West African Examination Council (NASU-WAEC) annual national congress in Jos, Plateau State, the Chairman of the Council Sunday Obabunmi and secretary, Ireti Aje, said examination malpractices have reached an alarming rate in the country hence the urgent need to arrest the trend.

A communiqué issued at the end of the congress said: “Dismayed at the alarming rate of examination malpractices in our schools, the Congress-In-Session called on the Federal, State and other stakeholders to collaborate with WAEC and other examination bodies in fighting examination fraud in our country.”

NASU also called upon members of the National Assembly to enact enabling laws that would be strong enough to check the activities of those who use modern technology to perpetrate examination injustice and fraud in the country.

The union observed that having observed the falling standard of education and the appalling state of public schools, low budgetary allocation by the government and the attendant consequences, the Congress-In-Session urged the government to declare a state of emergency in the educational sector as a way of raising the standard and quality of teaching and learning in our institutions.

It also said while it appreciates the Federal Government efforts at addressing the epileptic power supply in the country, it opposes the new increases in electricity tariff without a corresponding improvement in the power supply, thereby decreasing the purchasing power parity of an average Nigerian.

It demanded that the Federal Government as a matter of urgency must reverse the hike in electricity tariff which tends to plunge the average Nigerian in perpetual misery and poverty.

The union said it is worried about the poor state of the economy of the country as an implication of the dwindling oil prices, which the country solely depends on which has led to the persistent calls for the devaluation of the Naira as a panacea to the economy.

NASU state that it opposes the devaluation of the Naira as such step has never benefitted the development of the economy.

“The Congress-in-Session therefore, strongly opposes and rejects the call for further devaluation of the Naira, as it has never in the past solved our economic woes. Rather, the Federal government should put policies in place to diversify the economy and improve the infrastructural development that will strengthen the economy,” it explained.