The National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) and the National Parents-Teachers Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) have kicked against federal government move to deny Nigerian students the opportunity of writing the 2020 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).
The government had last week said no Nigerian school would participate in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) earlier scheduled to hold from August 4 to September 5.
Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu said the atmosphere of the rampaging coronavirus pandemic is not conducive for the May/June diet of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination to hold in the country.
But the stakeholders described the latest position of the government as inconsistent and confusing.
But the NAPPS president, Yomi Otubela said private schools across the country are set to participate in the examination, noting that the required protocols as recommended by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in the management of the coronavirus disease would be observed.
He said a formal appeal will be made to the minister on Tuesday, saying rather than blanket non-participation of Nigerian candidates in the examination, the government should set appropriate rules to guide the conduct of the examination and ensure strict compliance.
He said: “Our position is that all private schools are ready to write the WASSCE exams. We have already put in place all the necessary precautions and safety as advised by the NCDC. We are appealing to the education minister to reconsider his earlier position and allow the position of the stakeholders which is to allow the children to sit for the examinations to prevail.”