The Nigeria Examinations Committee (NEC) of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has lamented the dearth of teaching staff in schools, just as it also called on state governments and proprietors of private schools to procure detectors to prevent candidates from smuggling in mobile handsets into examination halls.
This was disclosed at the 56th meeting of Nigeria Examinations Committee (NEC) of WAEC held for three days at Excellence Hotel and Conference Centre, Ogba, Lagos.
The Committee expressed deep concern about the dearth of teaching staff in schools all over the country and called on government to urgently institute measures, such as offering special incentives, in order to attract the youth to read education-based courses in universities, particularly Mathematics Education.
Besides, it also called for appreciable improvement in the reward system for teachers nationwide, in order to motivate them to put in their best.
In its concern to revamp standard of education in Nigeria, the Committee implored state governments and other stakeholders in the education sector to consciously strive to elevate the standard of education in the country and re-double efforts in providing adequate infrastructure, manpower and teaching aids which would facilitate proper teaching and learning and the preparation of students for WAEC examinations.
Meanwhile, in view of the increased use of mobile handsets by candidates during examinations, the Committee directed the Council to make it mandatory for governments to procure serviceable metal detectors for public schools and proprietors of private schools to procure same for their schools, so as to prevent candidates from smuggling in mobile handsets into examination halls.
