Mixed reactions trail proposed 5-year jail term for exams malpractice
The recent move by the House of Representatives to slam a five-year jail term or N500,000 fine or both on any person convicted for leaking examination questions, and a three-year jail term for persons under 18 years convicted for engaging in various forms of examination malpractices has been generating mixed reactions from Nigerians.
The proposed legislation, entitled, “Examination Malpractices Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2025(HB2097) and sponsored by the member representing Oredo Federal Constituency, Esosa Iyawe, was introduced on March 6, 2025, and is currently awaiting second reading.
The bill, according to its explanatory memorandum, sought to repeal, “The Examination Malpractice Act Cap. E15, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and enact the Examination Malpractices Act, 2025, to provide for non-custodial penalties, expand offences relating to the examination malpractices and prescribe adequate punishment for such offences.”
It further stated that minors convicted under the proposed law shall be treated in accordance with the Child Rights Act.
The bill stated that any person, who procures any question paper intended for use in any examination in the country, whether or not the question is genuine and any person who uses a technological device at any examination, is guilty of an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine of N500,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or both for a person under the age of eighteen years.
However, in the case of a principal, teacher, an invigilator, a supervisor, an examiner, agent or employee of the examination body concerned with the conduct of an examination, the offence shall attract a four-year jail term without an option of fine.
Also, the parliament is proposing N400,000 or four years imprisonment or both for any person engaged to mark examination papers, who, without lawful excuse, alters or otherwise tampers or attempts to alter or tamper with the scores of a candidate as recorded by another person; or (b) employed by an examination body, who before, during or after an examination, fraudulently or without lawful authority, alters or otherwise tampers with the scores of a candidate or aids or abets any candidate to cheat at an examination
