A shocking revelation has emerged about the EdoBEST initiative, a program launched by the outgoing PDP government in Edo state under Governor Godwin Obaseki in 2018.
The initiative, touted as a comprehensive reform to transform basic education in the state, has been exposed as a hoax designed to manipulate educational outcomes.
The program, which aimed to accelerate learning by having pupils achieve in a term what would previously have taken a whole year, was met with excitement and optimism.
Public schools plagued by dilapidated classrooms and a lack of teachers, were expected to flourish under EdoBEST.
The results were impressive, with Edo state pupils reportedly outperforming their peers in other schools by 2% in mathematics and 5% in literacy.
However, a closer examination of the program has revealed a sinister truth. The Edo state Ministry of Education has been printing and distributing question papers for all subjects ahead of the Basic Education Certificate examination to public school teachers.
This has allowed teachers to coach students on the answers, effectively ensuring that they pass the exams.
The government’s claim of success is thus based on a manufactured outcome, rather than genuine educational improvement.
The true extent of the hoax is only now coming to light, raising questions about the integrity of the EdoBEST initiative and the credibility of the government’s claims.
The question papers for the ongoing June 2024 examinations are now on the streets already printed and given to public school teachers (see pictures).
The revelation has sparked outrage among educators and parents, who are demanding transparency and accountability from the government.
With the truth about EdoBEST unfold, it is obvious that this scandal financed with Edo tax monies will negatively impact the future of education in Edo state.
