In a sweeping crackdown on examination malpractice, the Federal Government has approved stricter sanctions, including a three-year ban from participating in external exams for students found guilty of cheating.
The directive, announced by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Tuesday, follows a new policy issued by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, aimed at restoring credibility to Nigeria’s examination system.
JAMB’s Communications Advisor, Fabian Benjamin, stated that the sanctions will also target schools and Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres implicated in “mass malpractice.” Such centres risk being blacklisted and derecognised for several years, depending on the severity of their involvement.
The new policy mandates all examination bodies—including the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the National Examinations Council (NECO), and the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB)—to enforce parallel penalties on implicated centres.
“This will send a strong message to operators of so-called ‘miracle centres,’ and ensure uniform enforcement across all exam platforms,” Benjamin said.
In addition to institutional sanctions, any student found guilty of cheating will be banned from sitting for any external examinations for up to three years. JAMB said this ban will be enforced using the candidate’s National Identification Number (NIN), enabling seamless cross-referencing across all exam bodies.
Citing Section 16(2) of the Examination Malpractices Act, the board added that the names of offenders will be shared among exam bodies to ensure uniform punishment.
JAMB called on parents, students, and schools to be aware of the new policy, which takes immediate effect.
