Officials of the National Examination Council (NECO) who monitored the Common Entrance Examination held in different centres in Lagos State refused attempts by some parents of candidates to move closer to the examination venues. Our correspondent who monitored the examination across centres in Lagos State, reports that officials of the examination body enforced the restriction rule against persons other than the candidates writing the examination and invigilators.

At Sanmori Senior Secondary School, Ifako/Ijaiye Local Government, it was observed that some parents who arrived as early as 8am to assist their children with accreditation process were asked to allow officials detailed to handle the issue do so. The NECO supervisor insisted that parents should vacate the vicinity around the examination hall. Though some of the parents initially grumbled about the directive, they nonetheless complied with one of the school teachers’ leading them to a classroom, away from the examination hall for them to sit and wait for their wards.

At Ogba Junior Grammar School, Ikeja Local Government, parents and guardians who besieged the school with their children participating in the exams, were also locked outside the gate while the gatekeeper repeated the restriction order periodically to the hearing of the parents.

A NECO supervisor assigned to the school, who refused to give his name, told Daily Trust on Sunday that the measure is to stall any possibility of examination malpractice or any act capable of jeopardising the integrity of the examination.

‘’What we have simply been telling parents is that the children are the ones writing the exams and not them. And we have been doing this politely. We asked them to stay outside and patiently wait for their children during the break session and after the examination is over,’’ the NECO supervisor said.

Similarly, a mother of two who identified herself as Mrs Chinwe Ikeagu at Dairy Farm School Centre, Agege Local Government, said the measure is in order as some parents have actually demonstrated the tendency of going into the examination halls with their wards if not restricted.

‘’I think every measure put in place is for the benefit of the candidates. The process at this centre has been hitch-free. And if parents are told to stay off the exam venues, so be it. After all, after the exam, they won’t ask me not to go home with my girl,’’ Ikeagu said.

•Sourced from Daily Trust report

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