The bill seeks to make provision for disqualification and prohibition of a candidate, notwithstanding the criminal prosecution of such cheaters.
A bill seeking to amend the West African Examination Council, WAEC, Act of 2004 on Thursday passed its second reading in the House of Representatives.
The proposed legislation seeks to give effect to the revised convention of WAEC.
The bill seeks to domesticate the revised convention of WAEC to provide more offences as they relate to examination malpractices.
It seeks to increase the penalty for such malpractices as a deterrent as well as provide a stiffer penalty of N200,000 fines instead of N2,000.
The bill also seeks to make provision for disqualification and prohibition of a candidate, notwithstanding criminal prosecution of such cheaters.
Leading the debate on the general principles of the bill on Thursday, the Majority Leader, Mulikat Akande-Adeola (PDP-Oyo), said that the bill, if passed would further guarantee the standard of examination in the country.
She said that because of the high incidences of examination malpractices, WAEC had thought it fit to amend the whole of Section 19 of the principal law. She said this was done by listing the offences that constitute such malpractices.
The lawmaker said that such malpractices include illegal possession of examination papers and having foreknowledge of the contents of an examination paper.
Other malpractices include making use of an examination paper in any manner or its contents without lawful authority.
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