TheWestAfricanExaminationsCouncil(WAEC)onWednesdayexpressedconcernoverthe activitiesofroguewebsiteoperatorsintheongoingMay/June2022WestAfricanSeniorSchoolCertificateExamination(WASSCE).

ThecouncilinastatementsignedbytheactingPublicAffairsOfficer,Mrs.MoyosolaAdeyegbe,alsocondemnedcandidatesandparentsforpatronizingtheroguewebsiteoperators.

Thestatementdrewtheattentionofstakeholdersandthepublicabouttheunwholesomeactivitiesbeingperpetratedbysomeunscrupulouselementsintheconductingof2022WASSCE.

Itsaid:“Thecouncilisawareoftheoperationsofthesevileindividuals,mostespeciallythe“roguewebsiteoperators”,whoarehellbentonsabotagingthenobleeffortsandconcretearrangementsputinplacebyWAECtoensurethesuccessfulconductoftheexamination.

“Thecouncilisequallyawarethattheseindividualsperpetratetheirdastardlyactsthrough various social media platforms such as Blogs, WhatsApp and Telegram.”

AdeyegbedisclosedthattheseunpatrioticindividualsseeWASSCEandotherexaminationsasabusinessventureandanavenuetomakemoney,therebydeceivinginnocentandgullible candidatesandtheirparents.

Shesaidtheexamfraudsterslurecandidatesandtheirparentsbyproposingshortcutsto examinationsuccessthustheylietothemthat“WAECquestionscanbeaccessedearlierthantheduedate,thisisnothingbutaliefromthepitofhell.”

Adeyegbeadded:“Please,fortheavoidanceofdoubt,andforthebenefitofthegeneralpublic, thisisnottrue.Thecouncilworkshardtoputfirmsecuritymeasuresinplacetoprotectthe integrityofitstestitems.

“Unfortunately,somecandidateshavefallenpreytothe‘trash’beingservedontheserogueplatforms.Theynolongerreadtheirbooksbecauseofthepromiseofaccessto“WAECquestions!” Thisis averysadanddangerousdevelopment,” he said.

The image maker said the council assured the general public that the rogue website would not go unpunished as they will be brought to book and made to pay for all their crimes, noting “the council will stop at nothing to ensure that the fight against this societal ill is won at all costs. We are grateful to the Nigeria Police Force for the robust collaboration in this regard.”

Thecouncilremindedcandidatesthattherearenoshortcutstoexaminationsuccessandswarnedthatanycandidatecaughtintheactwouldbeappropriatelysanctionedasapprovedbythe NigeriaExaminationsCommittee(NEC),thecouncil’shighestdecisionmakingorganonexamination-relatedmatters.

“Itwillbepainfultospendsixyearsinsecondaryschoolandnothaveanyresultstoshowfor theirlearningandefforts,” he added.

Accordingtoher,thecounciladvisedparentstoencouragetheirchildren/wardstostudyhard and desist from patronizing these evil peddlers who are out to destroy the destiny of their children/ward. Parents are equally advised to stop funding illicit acts.

Thecouncilusedthemediumtoappealtothevariousministriesofeducationtowarninvigilator,supervisors,schooladministrators,andschoolownerswhoarefondofextortingandharassingcandidatestopayfor“examinationsettlement,”thatsuchactionswillnotbetolerated,andanyschoolcaughtwillfaceappropriatesanctions.

ThecouncilappealstoallconcernedtodisregardtheseroguewebsiteoperatorsandtheirvariousplatformsandjoinWAECinthefightagainstexaminationmalpractice. (Daily Sun)