…Alausa Reveals Leaked Questions Were Verified As Genuine Examination Papers
….Minister Warns Honest Students Are Being Punished By Widespread Cheating
….Parents, Teachers, Proprietors, Invigilators Allegedly Part Of Wider Collusion
Daud Olatunji
The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, has disclosed that some National Examinations Council examination questions were allegedly obtained before scheduled papers and sold to candidates for as little as N3,000.
Alausa described the scale of examination malpractice in Nigeria as “mind-boggling”, warning that the practice was threatening the credibility of the country’s public examination system.
The minister spoke on Thursday during a meeting with the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools and other education stakeholders, where he urged parents, teachers, school proprietors, principals, invigilators and students to support ongoing efforts to curb examination malpractice.
According to him, the problem had become so entrenched that students who genuinely prepared for examinations were increasingly disadvantaged by candidates who gained access to leaked questions.
“It’s sad. Before she and I came, the acceptance of examination malpractice, cheating and examination leakages in this country was mind-boggling, and the country accepted it. It was a nightmare,” Alausa said.
He cited a case in which examination questions were allegedly purchased for N3,000 before the examination.
“They bought his question for N3,000. That was it. Before the examination. They called him Wushishi and bought the questions for N3,000 before the examination,” the minister said.
Alausa also recalled his experience during the 2025 examination period, saying examination materials allegedly obtained ahead of scheduled papers were repeatedly forwarded to him.
He said officials had to verify some of the materials with examination authorities and, in some instances, confirmed that the leaked questions were the same questions scheduled for the day.
The minister said the development showed that examination malpractice could no longer be treated as a problem caused solely by students.
He alleged that some parents, schools, teachers, principals and invigilators were part of a wider network that enabled malpractice.
“But when we have an ecosystem where parents, schools, teachers, invigilators and principals are in full connivance, the students are the smallest players. The people who should put the deterrents in place are the ones involved,” he said.
Alausa warned that the continued leakage of examination questions could have a damaging effect on students who were committed to honest preparation.
He said students who initially refused to cheat could eventually be pressured into doing so when they realised that their counterparts were gaining unfair advantages through leaked examination materials.
Serialised questions to tackle leakages
The Minister of State for Education, Prof Suwaiba Said Ahmad, also urged private school proprietors to cooperate with the Federal Government’s reforms aimed at strengthening the integrity of public examinations.
Ahmad said the use of serialised examination questions would make it more difficult for candidates to rely on leaked materials.
She, however, noted that the reform could initially expose weaknesses in the preparation of students who had become accustomed to obtaining examination questions ahead of time.
The minister urged private schools to complete their curricula on schedule and promote regular study among students rather than encouraging dependence on leaked examination materials.
She assured education stakeholders that the Federal Ministry of Education would continue to engage schools and other relevant stakeholders as the reforms were implemented.
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