Skip to main content

JSS exam has no relevance :Kogi Assembly

Kogi House of Assembly

Kogi House of Assembly

Kogi House of Assembly on Thursday called for abolition of the Transition Examination from Junior Secondary School (JSS) to Senior Secondary School (SSS) classes in schools across the state.

The assembly made the call in a resolution following the adoption of a motion calling on the state government to abolish multiple examination system being operated by the state Ministry of Education and its agencies.

Mr Linus Eneche (PDP-Olamaboro), who moved the motion at the plenary in Lokoja, said that the transition examination had no relevance and any direct impact on the educational development of students.

Eneche said that the education ministry, vested with the mandate of providing policy framework for smooth operation of the primary, secondary and tertiary institutions, ought to take cognisance of resources available to parents and guardians.

He frowned at what he described as “exploitative duplication of examinations” in secondary education in the state “all in the name of preparing the pupils for WAEC, NECO or NAPTEB”.

“We have secondary examinations as the Transition Examination, Mock Examination, WAEC, NECO and Promotional Examination from SS2 to SS3.

“These examinations take place simultaneously, paid for and in most cases, not marked.”

Eneche said that the transition examination, which was a duplication of the third term promotion examination, was introduced when the state government took over payment of WAEC fees as instrument for selecting candidates.

“Whereas the Kogi State Government has already withdrawn its sponsorship of candidates for the aforementioned examination (WAEC), coupled with the economic realities of recession at the micro and macro levels, this examination is no longer feasible”, he said.

He urged government to reduce the burden on parents in view of the prevailing economic and social realities which had made it impossible for them to pay for transition examination, Mock, WAEC NECO and three terminal examinations within one year.

Seconding the motion, Hassan Abdullahi (APC-Dekina-Okura) said that the transition examination, among many others, had no value.

He said that constituents had often confronted state legislators with requests to assist with payment of WAEC and NECO fees.

Supporting the motion, Sunday Shigaba (PDP-Bassa) said that the psychological effect of stopping or withholding a student from writing an examination on account of his parents’ inability to pay the fees could be traumatic.

In his ruling, the Speaker of the House, Alhaji Umar Imam, agreed that the burden on civil servants with more than one child in schools to pay all the fees in one fell swoop was enormous.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Court grants Fani-Kayode N50m bail

Fani-kayode sandwiched by EFCC officials Justice James Tsoho of the Federal High Court Abuja on Thursday granted a N50m bail to former spokesman of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode. Fani-Kayode was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a five-count charge of money laundering to the tune of N26m. Fani-Kayode is the sole defendant in the fresh charges numbered, FHC/ABJ/CR/140/2016. The EFCC accused the defendant of diverting 26 million Naira allegedly received from the ONSA while Sambo Dasuki was in office. The anti-graft agency also accused him of handling the said N26 million without going through financial institution as required under the Money Laundering Act. The embattled former minister is already facing 17-count charge of money laundering before the Lagos Division of the court, along with a former Finance Minister; Nenadi Usman, Danjuma Yusuf and a firm; Joint Trust Dimension Nigeria Limited. They were charg

FG berates US congressman over comment

Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture Photo: Femi Ipaye/PM News The Federal Government has described as sadly out of tune with reality the published letter from US Congressman Tom Marino to Secretary of State John Kerry, asking the US to withhold security assistance to Nigeria on the strength of some imaginary infraction by the Buhari Administration. In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said Congressman Marino was poorly informed about the issues he commented on, wondering why he did not take the pains to get first hand information from the US Embassy in Nigeria or any other credible source before engaging in what is nothing but a ‘propaganda of his own imagination’. The Minister said by asking the US to refrain from selling warplanes and other military equipment to Nigeria based on a faulty premise, the Congressman has demonstrated a poor understanding of global security issues. ”Insecurity anywhere i

Aubameyang leads Gabon to Nations Cup

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leads the cast for Gabon as the hosts became the first team to name their final 2017 Africa Cup of Nations squad. The team captain and Borussia Dortmund star will lead the home players out for the opening game of the tournament against debutants Guinea-Bissau on 14 January in Libreville. Gabon have also named Sunderland midfielder Didier Ndong despite the player being left out of November’s World Cup qualifier in Mali. Ndong was in the capital city Libreville but failed to turn up for international duty ahead of the Mali game last month, forcing the Gabonese Football Federation [Fegafoot] to send him back to England. But a remorseful Ndong, who held clear-the-air talks with Fegafoot has been included in a 23-man Panthers squad. Other names to make the final party include Juventus midfielder Mario Lemina, Bruno Ecuélé Manga of Cardiff City and China-based striker Malick Evouna. Gabon coach José Antonio Camacho included three do