Mixed reactions are trailing the recent delisting of some secondary schools in Oyo State by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).

According to report, no fewer than fifty (50) secondary schools in Oyo State have been delisted by the examination body.

The schools were delisted after the recently conducted examination.

They affected schools include both public and private secondary schools in urban and rural areas.

The 50 schools were removed from the list of schools where WAEC examinations would be held henceforth due to cases of examination malpractices.

The affected schools according to the list made available to DAILY POST included; Olodo Community Grammar School, Olodo Ibadan, Community High School, Kasumu Ajia, Ilupeju Community High School, Alugbo, Osegere Olukeye Community High School, Osegere, Idi-Ito High School, Erunmu, Owo Community Grammar School, Owo, Progressive Secondary Grammar School, Community Secondary School, Oke-Olola, Oyo, Community Grammar School, Kajorepo and Community High School, Ajase/Jabata, Ogbomoso.

Also in the list are; Anglican/ Methodist Secondary School 1, Ajagba, Oyo, Isepo/Ogidi Community Grammar School, Isepo, Ireti-Ogo Baptist College, Igboho, Biokun Alaadun Community Grammar School, Ibadan, Lagbulu Memorial High School, Kisi, Urban Day Grammar School, Old Ife Road, Ibadan, Urban Day Grammar School, Ring Road, Ibadan, Ansar-Ud-Deen High School, Sango, Ibadan, Ikolaba High School, Agodi GRA, Ibadan and Renascent High School, Aremo, Ibadan.

Others are; Ori-Aje Community Secondary School, Kudeti, Ibadan, Anglican Grammar School, Molete, Ibadan, Community Secondary School, Adegbayi, Ibadan, Community Secondary School, Bioku Alaadun, Ibadan, Adekile Goodwill Grammar School, Ibadan, Lagelu Grammar School, Ibadan, Ola-David Comprehensive College, Badeku, Ibadan, Mount Sinai College, Adegbayi, Ibadan, Temidire Oxford College, Monatan, Ibadan and Ibadan City Model College, Iyana Church, Ibadan.

Other schools on the list are; Mollyvonne College, Isale Igbajo, Tede, God’s Blessing College, Oyo, Graceland College, Moniya, Ibadan, Honeycomb Comprehensive College, Olukeye town, Asejire, Ibadan, I-Flier College, Ogungbade Road, Ibadan, Sure Foundation Model High School, Aba Titi, Ibadan, International Muslim College, Saki, Life Line Comprehensive High School Olopometa, Olorunsogo, Ibadan, Temidire Model School Igidogba Babanla Ibadan and Glorious College, Amuloko, Ibadan.

The rest are; Igboora Secondary School, Igboora, Nawair-Ud-deen Grammar School, Igboora, Damcos College, Molete, Ibadan, Benevolent College, Molete, Ibadan, Sheikh Ibrahim Model College, Ibadan, Ayobami Comprehensive High School, Odo Oba, Ibadan, Ayobami International College, Ibadan, Bolade Model College, Owode, Shafaudeen Comprehensive College, Wakajaye, Ibadan and Patimo College, Adesola, Ibadan.

The development has attracted mixed reactions from members of the public and other stakeholders.

While some attributed the development to the government’s inability to improve the standard of education in the State, others are of the opinion that the State government should not be held responsible.

Some of those who spoke attributed the development to parents and the students’ failure to shun examination malpractices.

A parent who identified herself as Olaitan said that the government of the State should not be blamed.

“There is nothing that concerns the government on this. We have both public and private schools that were affected. If the government is to be blamed for the abnormality or examination malpractices in public schools, then can we also blame the government for what happened in private schools?

“We even have schools that are established by religious bodies. Who are the principals or heads of those schools? Are they not Muslims or Christians? It shows the level we found ourselves in the country”.

Another parent identified as Adeolu advised the State government to take drastic steps to avoid future occurrences.

He said that all stakeholders must be blamed for what happened.

He said, “We cannot totally blame the government, everyone is involved. The government must take drastic measures to avoid future occurrences.

“Parents and guardians must also take drastic measures to discourage their wards from examination malpractices. It is the responsibility of the students themselves to shun examination malpractices.

“So, it is the responsibility of all stakeholders. We must put a stop to this menace for us to move forward in Oyo State. We are known as a pacesetter State and we must continue to uphold the standard”.

Disturbed the development, the State government said that it has zero tolerance for examination malpractices.

The government said that principals and parents of recently delisted schools would be sanctioned.

Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Barrister Abiodun Abdu-Raheem, in a statement made available to journalists in Ibadan, said the state government would sanction both the principals and parents found wanting.

He insisted that the present government in the state had zero tolerance for examination malpractices.

“It should be noted that, the Oyo State Government has zero tolerance for examination malpractices, therefore, Principals and Teachers of both Private and Public Schools and parents were earlier warned to desist from any act of collaboration on examination malpractices as sanctions would be meted to concerned staff and parents.

“It should be noted that the Government of Oyo State will waste no time to investigate any such occurrence, while the necessary punishments as enumerated above will be meted to anyone found guilty,” he said.