20 education CEOs to receive award on March 24

The Exam Ethics Chief Master Marshal Award will be bestowed on 20 ethics-friendly education Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) in recognition of inspirational work in promoting ethics for exam malpractice in education.

Mr Ike Onyechere, the Founding Chairman, Exam Ethics Marshal International (EEMI), made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.

Onyechere said the award was also to promote integrity, best practices and zero tolerance for exam malpractices in the education sector.

He said among those to receive the awards are: Prof. Benjamin Ozumba, Vice-Chancellor, University of Nigeria, Nsukka; Maj-Gen. Mohammed Ibrahim, Commandant, Nigerian Defence Academy.

Others are: Prof. Ademola Tayo, Vice-Chancellor, Babcock University; Prof. Luke Anike, Vice-Chancellor, Enugu State University of Science and Technology; Prof. Muhammad Maiturare, Vice-Chancellor, Ibrahim Badamosi Babaginda University, Lapai, Niger.

Also, Prof. Christian Anieke, Vice-Chancellor, Godfrey Okoye University; Ka’ankuka Nenkop, Provost, College of EducationGindiri, Plateau; and Prof. B.N. Mbah, Provost, Federal College of Education, Eha-Amufu, Enugu State would receive the award.

Onyechere said the award would be formally presented on March 24 at Transcorp Hotel, Calabar as climax of the Exam Ethics Marshals 20th Anniversary Conference to mark 20 years of Exam Ethics Campaign in Africa.

He said the Exam Ethics Marshals International (EEMI) was borne out of the need to ensure youths develop into angels of integrity after planting seeds of corruption in their fertile minds through systemic exam malpractice.

Onyechere explained that the effort to re-build the moral infrastructure of admission, training, examination, certification, registration and regulation processes in education was a challenge of collective responsibility.

‘‘The work of Exam Ethics Marshals is pre-eminently fundamental to the long term success of anti-corruption wars in Africa as the anti-corruption war cannot be won without first winning the exam ethics battle."

‘‘It is impossible for youths to develop into angels of integrity after planting seeds of corruption in their fertile minds through systemic exam malpractice and academic dishonesty.’’

He also said that the organisation had created awareness, transforming attitudes, building capacities and structures for reducing examination malpractice indices.

Onyechere said it had also helped education to produce leaders, professionals, workers and citizens with character to shun corruption and develop competences to deliver transformation.

‘‘Imagine the revolutionary benefits for better society if every staff and student in every institution in Africa abides by the Exam Ethics Code of ethical self-regulation and discipline in admission, training, examination, certification, registration and regulation processes."

‘‘It is against this background that the Exam Ethics Awards are token gestures of appreciation to those who have identified with and supported the campaign in the past 20 years.’’

He, however, called on all education leaders and CEOs in Africa to join hand in deploying their power and influence to support the campaign from their various perspectives and stations.

He further called on stakeholders to facilitate the inauguration of Chapters of Exam Ethics Marshals and Exam Ethics Students Clubs in all Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges of Education, Primary and Secondary Schools in Africa.

EEMI is a non-governmental organisation founded in1996 to promote ethics, integrity and best practices and combating exam malpractice, academic dishonesty and corruption in education in Africa.