How Blind Students Cheat During WAEC - Official Reveals

According to an official of the West African Examinations Council

(WAEC), among blind candidates, one of the most common examination malpractice

was collusion.

Frances Iweha-Onukwu, who is the head of test administration of WAEC in Nigeria, revealed this in a press interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN), on Wednesday, December 28, in Lagos.

Mrs Iweha-Onukwu explaining the reasons why cheating by collusion was rampant among the blind students,, said it could be that the candidates were usually not well equipped individually for

the examinations.

She described the performance of the students as ‘not too wonderful performance’, rising from the fact that they were poorly equipped.

“We have discovered that there is usually high incidence of collusion among blind candidates during examinations.

“That is why their performance has not really been anything wonderful.

“Our society is such that there have not been adequate and conscious efforts to take care of the challenged.

“There have not been enough trained personnel to guide blind

candidates before being exposed to major external examination,”

she said.

Speaking on the need for urgent policy reviews in education, the

WAEC official said a situation where a teacher who studied Special

Education in higher institution is employed to cater for the needs

of physically challenged persons with a whole array of needs, was

worrisome.

Voicing her confusion, she said: “I cannot explain how one

teacher, who studied special education can be given the singular

task of meeting the academic needs of the deaf, dumb, the blind

and all others.

“Meanwhile, there are candidates who need personalize attention

on one-on-one basis.

“If we intend to give the best and all-inclusive education, Federal

Government must employ more trained teachers in special

education to take care of the different defects among the physically

challenged students.

“There must also be consciousness policy formulation that will

take care of these persons.

“This is because there is ability in disability. These persons can do better if adequate care is given."