Akintoye said private schools are not under the purview of the board, hence could not sanction schools who compromise the integrity of the state-organised placement examination, also known as common entrance.
The Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has deflected its supervisory roles, claiming that schools indicted of compromising the state-organised placement examination are not under its control.
Six months ago, the Chairman of the board, Ganiyu Oluremi Sopeyin, said the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Idayat Adebule, had set up a committee of enquiry to investigate schools indicted in the SaharaReporters investigation.[story_link align="left"]63966[/story_link]
However, the board took a U-turn on Tuesday when it told SaharaReporters that Lagos State private primary schools are not under its control, hence it cannot sanction any fraudulent school.
The board’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Seyi Akintoye, said this when SaharaReporters visited SUBEB’s office for an official statement on the outcome of the alleged enquiry committee.
Akintoye said private schools are not under the purview of the board, hence could not sanction schools who compromise the integrity of the state-organised placement examination, also known as common entrance.
This is a deflection from the responsibilities of SUBEB as a supervisory unit.
One of the mandates of the board as listed on its website is to “Prescribe the minimum standards for the basic education programme throughout the State in line with the National Policy on Education on the advice of the National Council for Education and ensure effective implementation of the standards in line with Government policies and programme.”
As a board, Lagos SUBEB also has the mandate to set up supervisory units in the implementation and monitoring of basic education in the state.
The placement examination is the final examination written by final year pupils in basic class in preparation for secondary school.
But the board’s PRO argued that SUBEB is not the only agency in charge of the placement examination and cannot be solely held responsibility for the malfeasance discovered during the examination.
SaharaReporters had detailed how schools in Lagos State connived with Lagos State invigilators to compromise the state’s secondary school entrance exams.[story_link align="left"]63829[/story_link]
In one of the revelations, an invigilator identified as Toye Lukmon of Yufaith Private School was captured on camera dictating answers to the pupils during the placement examination held at Tulabville Private School at 53 Omidindun Street, Lagos Island area of Lagos State.
Similarly, at Wesley Girls Senior Secondary School, Yaba, another centre for the Lagos State Placement Examinations, pupils were captured cheating during the examination while Lagos State designated invigilators looked away as many of them had been bribed by school owners.
The investigation also revealed the ease of enrolling children for the examination in different primary schools in Lagos State.
As part of the multimedia investigation, Ajenifuja Kazeem, a staff member of SUBEB, was also indicted as he organised a fake First School Leaving Certificate For the undercover reporter.