Education: Reps panel expresses commitment to improved standard

From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja

The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education Examination Bodies has said it is committed to improving the standard of education in the country.

The chairman of the Committee, Oboku Oforji, who stated, after a tour of some secondary school, in Abuja,  by the panel, to oversight the conduct of the Senior School Certificate Examination ( SSCE) conducted by the National Examination Council ( NECO).

Consequently, Oforji stated that the panel would collaborate with NECO,
the West African Examination Council (WAEC), the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) and other examination bodies  in country, to ensure an improved  standard of education.

The lawmaker, who spoke with journalists, on the sidelines of the tour, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the ongoing  SSCE by NECO, stating that it is the expectations of the panel that the examination body would continue to deliver on its mandate.

He said “we are proud of what they are doing because we are here to see what NECO is doing. We are here to hear those serious issues of examination malpractice. We pray that they sustain the tempo. We have gone around the school and we have seen the student commitment. We are very, very proud of them.

“What we have seen today, what we have observed today, if this tempo is sustained, we are going to have a better tomorrow. We are very sure of our country. We want to have the betterment of our country.

“And with what is going on, we are very, very poised, we are very, very confident that tomorrow will be better than today. So it is a good one. We want them to show more resilience. ”

Oforji added that “for us in the parliament, we believe that the reforms that are ongoing are going to add more value to the educational sector, not just NECO, all the other examination bodies.

” And we believe that with what we have seen today, we believe that we will have a better system, educational system, and we are ready to collaborate, working with WAEC, NECO, JAMB NABTEB, and other examination bodies to improve the standard of education in our country.

“And we are very, very confident that we’ll achieve that feat. And that is why you are seeing us here carrying out this oversight at this very time. So be rest assured that the National Assembly is up and doing, and we’re going to get it done. It’s a good result for Nigeria, by the special grace of God”.