The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday agreed with the decision of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to dismiss one of its senior officials, Sandra Nimi Harry, for her role in an examination malpractice case involving fake answer scripts.
The matter was discussed during a plenary session after the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions submitted its report.
The committee, led by Senator Neda Imasuen, looked into a petition Harry had filed against WAEC after her dismissal.
Investigations revealed that during a private exam in Port Harcourt, Harry, who headed the Scripts Room at the time, helped her colleague, Raymond Obi, access and swap original scripts with those of candidates who were not officially registered.
Obi admitted he got into the scripts room with Harry’s help and acted on the orders of another WAEC staff member, Joseph Pepple, who allegedly knew the candidates.
Harry had worked with WAEC since July 15, 1992, and was dismissed on July 19, 2023.
Three different internal panels investigated the issue and concluded that she and two others were guilty of serious wrongdoing.
Although the committee mentioned her long years of service and suggested that WAEC might consider turning her dismissal into a retirement, the Senate rejected that idea.
Many lawmakers argued that her actions damaged the trust in WAEC’s certificate system and should not be taken lightly.
Senators who spoke during the debate said the offence should not be ignored just because she had worked for over 30 years.
They warned that allowing such behaviour could send the wrong message to other public servants nearing retirement.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio said no one should be allowed to misuse their position at the end of their career for personal gain.
The Senate concluded by backing WAEC’s decision and urging stricter measures to protect the credibility of the country’s educational system.
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