16,000 UTME Results Were Cancelled Due To Malpractices – Education Minister

Nigeria's Minister of Education, Prof.
Ruquayyatu Rufa'i, has explained that 16,000
Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination,
UTME, results were cancelled by the Joint
Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB,
because of examination malpractices by the
candidates.
Speaking yesterday through Mr. Julius Ameh, in
Abuja, during the presentation of the Teachers'
Guide for the teaching of the National Values
Curriculum, NVC, in Basic Education, which was
funded by the Independent Corrupt Practices
and other Related Offences Commission, ICPC,
Rufa'i said: "We shall be resolute in our
decisions as there shall be no sacred cows.
Nobody, no matter how highly placed, will be
allowed to get away with the breach of the law or
perpetration of corruption and evil in our
colleges and tertiary institutions."
According to her, the inclusion of the guide into
the numerous literature available in the
education sector, especially on corruption and
value orientation, was an indication of the
premium which the administration placed on
education and transparency in the conduct of
government business.
"It is also an eloquent testimony of the present
administration's determination to heal the
wounds of the past quickly, put the ugly past
behind and use the new NVC to stretch hands of
fellowship to aggrieved Nigerians for complete
reconciliation.
"The Nigerian child must be encouraged and
taught that integrity pays."
"His self respect must be restored and his
growth process rewarded through mentoring and
parental care," she added.
In his address, Chairman of ICPC, Ekpo Nta, said
that the NVC was applicable at all levels of
education and was designed to expose the
Nigerian child to a value-based curriculum that
incorporates ethical values into academic studies
from the early years to adulthood.
"The curriculum has been infused into subjects
and courses at basic, post-basic and teacher-
education levels. It has also been infused into
the curriculum of mass literacy and non-formal
education," he said.
Nta further pointed out the need for teachers to
be trained and properly oriented on the
methodology and behavioural imperatives for
imparting such values.
"We therefore, request commissioners for
education and chairmen of SUBEB to order for
more copies of the teachers' guide such that
every school in the basic education system in
each state is given enough copies for the use of
teachers," he added.