Oyo Teachers Threaten Boycott Of WAEC Examinations Over Demotion Of Colleagues

By Ayodele Oni

The ongoing West African Examinations Council, (WAEC) Senior Secondary School final examination is being threatened in Oyo State by the decision of some teachers to boycott the supervision of the exercise.

The teachers are reported to be protesting the demotion of six of their colleagues over their involvement in examination malpractice during previous examination, which also led to the blacklist of some schools.

The demotion of the affected teachers was announced last week through a letter by the Oyo State Teaching Service Commission, (TESCOM) signed by Orowale M.I. on behalf of the Commission’s Chairman and addressed to the Tutor-General in the Saki Zone of the State.

The Commission claimed that the teachers were demoted for their involvement in examination malpractice during the 2022 Senior School Certificate Examination, (SSCE) conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).

According to TESCOM, the decision to demote the affected teachers was a result of the findings of the Panel set up to investigate them adding that the panel found the affected teachers guilty.

The State chapter of the All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools, (ANCOPSS), has cautioned against the planned action.

A statement by the association explained that, together with the Nigeria Union of Teachers, (NUT), it is already engaging the State Government and WAEC on the issue, and that any negative action at this material time will be counterproductive.

In the letter, titled “‘Boycott Of WAEC Examinations By Teachers ILL Advised – ANCOPPS states that “It has come to the attention of the leadership of ANCOPSS in Oyo State that some of our teachers are planning to boycott the supervision and invigilation of the ongoing West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations.

“The purported planned boycott is said to be hinged on the punishment meted out to teachers who invigilated and supervised the examinations which led to the delisting of those schools, allegedly, involved in examination malpractices.

“The position of ANCOPSS, as the umbrella body of all Principals in Oyo State is that such a boycott or protest at this material time is needless, pointless, and ill-advised.

“The leadership of NUT and ANCOPSS in the state is already engaging the state government and WAEC on the issue, and any negative action at this material time will be counterproductive.

“It must be noted that boycotting the supervision of any external examinations, for which the State Government has invested billions of Naira over the years, will be tantamount to sabotage, negligence, and dereliction of duty with very severe consequences as stated in the extant Public Service Rules.

“We want to implore all Principals to engage their teachers on the futility of such planned protest at this material time while waiting for further instructions from the leadership of NUT and ANCOPSS in the state.

“Consequently, all Principals are hereby directed to issue official letters to their nominated teachers for supervision and keep such letters in their files with the teachers signing for receipt of such letters for record purposes.

“Any teacher who declines such a nomination should be asked to write a formal letter through the Principal, through the Tutor General to the Executive Chairman of Tescom to ask for exemption.

“The Executive Chairman, who is the representative of the Executive Governor is the only person who could grant such exemption. This is the standard procedure.”