SHEER INCOMPETENCE: Oyo Govt fails to typeset BECE JSS3 Arabic Question Paper

This reporter can confirm that JSS 3 students across the state sat for their Arabic Basic Certificate Examination (BECE) on Monday but were stunned when the question paper for the exam was photocopied.

Some of the students had earlier written the National Examination Council (NECO) examination where all the question papers were well typeset regardless of the subject.

But during the ongoing BECE Exam, the question paper was handwritten and then photocopied.

The development is against the modern global practice of test and summative evaluation. It is also the first time such professional incompetence will be recorded in the state this decade.

This reporter obtained a copy of the National Examination Council (NECO) JSS3 Arabic question paper, it was well typed and the students confirmed they could read the content of the paper.

CAN ARABIC LANGUAGE QUESTION PAPERS BE TYPE SET?

This reporter understands that typing Arabic questions require special software on Microsoft word.

But for an examination projected to be the summative evaluation test for students in basic classes, the action of the state government is below-par.

According to some computer operators, they do not have the software for typing Arabic papers but there are designated centres that type only Arabic texts in Oyo state.

Because the students sat for the NECO exam and the paper was well typed, Oyo state government has no validation to come differently.

Also, some of the students who sat for the BECE exam yesterday told this reporter that it was the first time they would be writing an exam in Arabic and the question would not be typed.

They said it was difficult for the majority of them to read the exam questions.

The students, who mostly attend private schools in the state, explained that Arabic questions are always typeset in their schools.

“Seeing a photocopied question paper unsettled me in the hall”, one of the students said.

” I have a lingering eye issue that I can only read words put in size 12 and above. I could not read the photocopied content very well and I’m afraid it would affect my result for this exam”, another student complained.

In a discussion with an education expert in the state, photocopying Arabic BECE examination questions is a manifestation of the rots teachers, principals, and school administrators are battling under Governor Seyi Maknde in Oyo state at present.

JSS3 EXAM OVERLOAD

For Junior Secondary School three students whose age ranges between twelve and fifteen years, taking three papers daily is genuinely overbearing.

The students are billed to write fourteen papers in five days.

On Monday, the students sat for Business studies, CCA (postponed to Tuesday) and Arabic scattered between 9 am and 4 pm.

They will answer questions from Mathematics, Prevocational studies, Religious studies, and CCA on Tuesday.

Only on the final day of the examination will the students take two papers, they will write history and Oral Igbo/Hausa on Friday. That is even if everything remains the same.

Admittedly, not all the students registered for all the subjects. But on a day such as Thursday, the majority of the students will sit for English Language, National Values, and French.

The timetable was also changed at the eleventh hour meaning that the students had to prepare for CCA on Tuesday as opposed to Monday which was earlier scheduled.

On an important day Tuesday when the students will write Mathematics, they will write two more papers.

GOVERNOR MAKINDE AND LACKLUSTER PERFORMANCE IN EDUCATION

An educational consultant in the state who spoke to this reporter under the condition of anonymity told this reporter yesterday that Governor Seyi Makinde has underperformed in the area of education since assuming office.

“The government has failed to appoint professional educationists to key positions in the education sector of the state”, the source made reference to the incumbent commissioner for education in the state who is a Barrister.

The source also berated the inadequate funding of government-owned schools in the state, especially primary schools.

” Running grants are not being released to schools timely, and when they are eventually released, the state auditors always have their share”, the source added.

According to the source, one of the prognoses and end products of the government’s action is having teachers perform basic administrative roles that are not part of their job duties.

“I know of schools that ask teachers to provide their chalks to write on the board for the students”, the education expert recounted.

This reporter understands that the delay in the commencement of exams in government-owned schools in Oyo state this session is due to the late release of grants to all public schools in the state by the Oyo state government.