By Moryam Bakare
Amid rising concerns about the quality and credibility of public examinations, Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa; the Registrars of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the National Examinations Council (NECO), Professors Is-haq Oloyede and Ibrahim Wushishi; and other sector leaders will converge to discuss practical solutions to the country’s examination integrity crisis at the 2025 annual summit organised by the Education Writers Association of Nigeria (EWAN).
EWAN is a professional network of education reporters from diverse media organisations across the country, headquartered in Lagos.
According to a statement signed by the Secretary of the 2025 Summit Planning Committee, Christiana Akande, the sixth edition of the summit is scheduled for 27 November at the Julius Berger Auditorium, University of Lagos (UNILAG).
Mrs Akande noted that the summit, themed “Nigeria’s Obsession with Paper Qualification and Integrity of Public Examinations: Is TVET the Way Forward?”, aims to push a national conversation on the need to strengthen skills training and rebuild public confidence in examinations.
To appraise the keynote address to be delivered by the Education Minister are the Head of Nigeria’s Office of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), Amos Dangut, alongside Mr Oloyede of JAMB and Mr Wushishi of NECO.
Other key stakeholders
The Executive Secretaries of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB), Idris Bugaje, a professor and Morounke Azeez, alongside representatives of organisations such as the Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN) are expected to share their insights on how TVET can help address unemployment and close the country’s widening skills gap.
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While the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Folasade Ogunsola, a professor, will host the event; the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Abdullahi Ribadu, will serve as Chief Host. The former Executive Secretary of LASTVEB and Chairman, Yoruba Tennis Club, Olawunmi Gasper will chair the event.
A call for skills and integrity
The Planning Committee Chairperson, Iyabo Lawal, said recent incidents recorded during the 2025 examinations show why urgent intervention is needed.
She said the pressure to obtain certificates “at all costs” has encouraged widespread malpractice, adding that EWAN hopes to use the summit to connect policymakers with those affected by education policies.
“What Nigerians experienced with the conduct of public examinations in 2025 demands urgent intervention from relevant stakeholders, and EWAN believes that the rising cases of malpractices may have been caused by the nation’s emphasis on paper qualifications, making everyone seek to have the papers at all costs, with or without the requisite knowledge. These are issues we hope to address with critical stakeholders joining the conversation
“The summit promises to be a significant step towards finding a solution to this problem and promoting a more skills-based education system. EWAN is not simply interested in reporting events but contributing to efforts towards repositioning the nation’s education sector. We are committed to bridging the gaps between policymakers and recipients of various policies,” Mrs Lawal said.
Awards and recognitions
The EWAN summit will also feature award presentations to individuals and organisations that have significantly contributed to the promotion of quality and affordable public education over the years.
To be honoured with an award of Icon of Education is Nigeria’s former Representative to UNESCO, Michael Omolewa, an emeritus professor of history of education while Kesington Adebutu, a nonagenarian and Chairman of the Kesington Adebukunola Adebutu Foundation (KAAF), will be honoured for his investment in public education through donations and endowments.
Also, the Nigerian Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund, sponsor of the Maltina Teacher of the Year Award, and the outgoing Vice-Chancellor of Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ademola Tayo, a professor, will be awarded for their support for teachers and schools, and 10 years of partnership and support for EWAN, respectively.
