A school proprietor in Ibadan, Nigeria collected WAEC and NECO exam fees from students but didn't register them. He then sold the school and fled abroad, leaving hundreds of students unable to take crucial exams and parents devastated.
In a brazen act of deception and abandonment, the proprietor of The Lord's Favour secondary school in Ibadan has reportedly collected exam fees from hundreds of students, only to sell off the school premises and flee the country. Mr. Sunday Adeyemi, who had operated the private school for over two decades, collected registration fees from students for the upcoming West African Examination Council (WAEC) and National Examination Council (NECO) exams. However, he failed to register the students, instead pocketing the money for himself.
"Many parents went out of their way, even borrowing, to pay the WAEC and NECO fees so their children could take these crucial exams," said Adejoke Lasisi, founder of the education nonprofit Planet 3R. "But Mr. Adeyemi betrayed their trust in the worst way." Lasisi took to Facebook to raise awareness of the scandal, having had her own younger brother previously fall victim to a similar scheme years ago.
Students and parents who showed up for the exams were turned away after the school was found abandoned and the proprietor had vanished. It was later discovered that Adeyemi had sold not just the school property, but also his residence, to finance his escape from the country.
"We are still investigating where exactly Mr. Adeyemi fled to, but it appears he cunningly sold off all his assets to fund his relocation abroad," said a spokesperson for the Oyo State Ministry of Education. "Leaving these students in limbo shows a complete lack of care for their futures."
For 17-year-old Azeezat Bello, the prospect of missing the WAEC and NECO exams is devastating. "My parents worked tirelessly to pay my fees, and now our family has been cheated," she said through tears. "I don't know how I'll be able to pursue university without these qualifications."
Education experts say the scandal exposes critical failures in regulation and accountability, especially in Nigeria's private school system. "There need to be stricter quality controls and harsh penalties for proprietors who engage in این type of wanton exam malpractice," said Professor Ben Akindele of the University of Lagos.
As the fallout continues, authorities are working to ensure the affected students can still register for the make-up exam dates. But for many families already stretched financially, further costs loom.
"The hurt and hardship Mr. Adeyemi has inflicted through his greed is unforgivable," Lasisi said grimly. "He has shattered the educational dreams of hundreds of innocent children."
Source: Tribune Online
