By PHILIP YATAI

Education Resource Centre (ERC) of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has taken steps towards ensuring strict compliance with examination standards and zero tolerance to examination malpractices in secondary schools.

The ERC Director, Dr Neemat Abdulrahim, stated this in Abuja on Thursday, while monitoring the Senior Secondary Certificate Mock Examination in Mathematics in secondary schools.

Abdulrahim explained that the mock examination prepares secondary school students for the West African Examination Council (WAEC) and the National Examination Council (NECO).

She said the monitoring was part of the centre’s mandate to ensure that examinations were conducted in conducive environments and vetted question papers met approved standards.

“The monitoring exercise will further boost FCT Administration’s commitment to strengthening academic standards and ensuring students are adequately prepared to excel in their external examinations,” she said.

She commended the orderly conduct of the examination in the schools visited and noted steady increase in private schools’ participation, which reflects the credibility and standard of the ERC mock examinations.

The director also said that the ongoing renovation of school facilities by the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, significantly boosted students’ morale.

“Examination halls are now more comfortable and conducive for learning and assessment,” she added.

The Director, Department of Quality Assurance, Hajia Titilayo Alayande, reaffirmed the commitment of the department in safeguarding examination integrity.

Alayande commended Abdulrahim and her team “for sustaining quality mock examination process that prepares students for WAEC and NECO examinations.”

She expressed satisfaction with facilities provided and commended teachers for their dedication, noting that students displayed confidence and seriousness throughout the exercise.

Some of the school administrators and management applauded the ongoing education reforms being executed by the FCT minister.

The Director of Royal Family Academy, Ms Olubunmi Ayeni, described the mock examination as “highly impactful initiative that has consistently helped schools to assess students’ preparedness for external examinations.

“The mock examination has been very helpful to us since inception. That is why we participate year in, year out. The questions are of WAEC standard. The ERC is doing a good job.

“The school utilizes the results to carefully analyse students’ strengths and shortcomings, allowing teachers to intensify efforts and align instruction with required standards.”

Ayeni added that as a law-abiding institution, the school remains compliant with government policies and directives and called on other private schools to key into the ERC initiative.

“Let’s join hands to raise the standard of examinations across the FCT,” she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some principals of the schools visited described the mock examination as a dependable benchmark” for measuring students’ readiness for external examinations.

They also lauded the timely distribution of question papers, hitch-free conduct and conducive examination environments.

The principals, who thanked the FCT minister for ongoing renovations and upgrade of schools, assured the FCT Administration of their commitment to maintaining the facilities.

NAN reports that schools visited were Government Science Technical College, Area 3, Abuja; Government Secondary School, Garki, Abuja; Government Science Secondary School, Maitama, Abuja; and Royal Family Academy, Wuye, Abuja, among others. (NAN)