YABATECH Dean Launches N1 Million Integrity Award to Combat Examination Malpractice

The Dean of the School of Environmental Studies at Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Adesina Aladeloba, has introduced a ?1 million incentive programme aimed at promoting academic integrity and discouraging examination malpractice among students.

Speaking in Lagos, Aladeloba explained that the initiative, known as the War Against Examination Crime (WAEC) Award, recognises departments whose students complete an academic session without any reported cases of examination misconduct.

He clarified that the programme is unrelated to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), despite sharing the same acronym, noting that it was conceived specifically as an anti-malpractice initiative within the institution.

According to him, departments automatically qualify for the award if none of their students is referred to the School Examination Malpractice Investigation Committee (SEMIC) during the academic session.

Aladeloba said the maiden edition of the programme assessed students' conduct across two semesters and produced two winners from the school's seven departments. The Departments of Architecture and Transport Planning and Management emerged as the inaugural recipients, sharing the ?1 million prize.

Rather than presenting the cash award to departmental authorities, the funds were handed over to the students' associations of the winning departments to encourage collective responsibility and reinforce ethical behaviour.

He stressed that the initiative is intended to prevent examination malpractice rather than focus solely on punishment, arguing that fostering a culture of honesty is more effective than relying exclusively on disciplinary measures.

The dean warned that examination malpractice poses serious risks to society, particularly when individuals obtain professional qualifications through dishonest means, potentially leading to incompetence in critical sectors such as healthcare, engineering and construction.

He also expressed concern over the growing obsession with paper qualifications, which he said has fuelled examination misconduct and the proliferation of illegal "miracle centres." He called on relevant authorities to intensify efforts to shut down such centres and prosecute offenders.

Aladeloba advocated a greater emphasis on competence, practical skills and value creation in Nigeria's education system, while commending the Federal Government's renewed focus on vocational and skills-based education.

He added that the award has already encouraged healthy competition among students, with departments actively promoting academic honesty in pursuit of future recognition. He expressed hope that similar initiatives would be adopted by other tertiary institutions to strengthen academic integrity across the country.