Reported by Weng Patrick Atokor l Journalist at Weng Global
Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, has expelled 42 students following investigations into examination malpractice, with the affected students comprising 31 Higher National Diploma (HND) students and 11 National Diploma (ND) students.
The institution announced the disciplinary action on Monday, September 21, 2026, through a statement issued by Ibrahim Esin, Principal Assistant Registrar in the Academic Board Matters Division. According to the statement, the students were investigated by the Polytechnic’s Examination Malpractice Committee and were found guilty of the allegations against them.
The decision has drawn attention not only because of the number of students involved but also because it highlights the continuing challenge of maintaining academic integrity in Nigeria’s higher education system.
What happened at Kwara State Polytechnic?
The 42 students were drawn from different institutes and programmes within Kwara State Polytechnic.
According to the institution’s statement, the students faced allegations of examination malpractice. Their cases were considered by the Examination Malpractice Committee, which conducted investigations before the students were found guilty.
The Polytechnic said the offences contravened the Matriculation Oath taken by students when they were admitted.
The expulsions were subsequently approved under the provisions of the institution’s Students’ Handbook, according to Esin.
This distinction is important.
The available report does not simply say that students were accused and immediately expelled. It says the institution’s examination malpractice committee investigated the allegations before the disciplinary decision was approved.
That makes the disciplinary process itself an important part of understanding the development.
Who are the 42 students?
The affected students comprise:
- 31 HND students
- 11 ND students
The students came from several institutes within the Polytechnic.
The Institute of Finance and Management Studies recorded the largest number of affected students, with 23 expulsions.
The Institute of Technology followed with eight, while the Institute of Information and Communication Technology had four. Two students were from the Institute of Health Technology, one from the Institute of General Studies and four from the Centre for Continuing Education.
The programmes represented among the affected students included areas such as engineering, journalism and media studies, public administration, business administration, banking and finance, accountancy and medical imaging technology.
The range of programmes involved shows that the disciplinary action was not limited to one academic department.
What does examination malpractice mean?
Examination malpractice generally refers to conduct intended to give a candidate an improper advantage in an examination or to undermine the rules governing the examination.
The West African Examinations Council, for example, identifies acts such as bringing unauthorised materials into an examination hall, impersonation, swapping scripts and organised cheating among conduct that can constitute examination malpractice.
Nigeria also has an Examination Malpractices Act, which establishes offences connected with examination malpractice and gives examination bodies powers to impose sanctions in cases covered by the law.
However, the specific allegations against each of the 42 Kwara Polytechnic students have not been detailed in the reporting reviewed by Weng Global.
That means it would be inappropriate to assume that every student committed the same type of malpractice.
What has been reported is that the institution’s committee investigated the allegations and that the students were subsequently found guilty under the institution’s disciplinary process.
Why can examination malpractice lead to expulsion?
Higher institutions depend on examinations and other assessments to determine whether students have acquired the knowledge and skills expected from their programmes.
When examination rules are deliberately breached, the credibility of the assessment process can be affected.
For an institution, this is not only a question of individual student discipline. Academic credentials are also used by employers, professional bodies and other institutions to assess a person’s qualifications.
Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Education has repeatedly described examination malpractice as a threat to the credibility and integrity of the education system.
In January 2026, the Federal Government announced additional measures aimed at reducing malpractice in WAEC and NECO examinations, including greater use of question randomisation and stronger examination oversight.
The government has also been pursuing wider examination reforms, including increased use of computer-based examinations. In May 2026, the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation reported that the Federal Government was targeting the elimination of examination malpractice by 2027.
The Kwara Polytechnic case therefore comes within a wider national discussion about the credibility of examinations.
Why the number 42 matters
The expulsion of 42 students from one institution is significant because disciplinary action on this scale affects more than the students directly involved.
It raises questions about examination supervision, student awareness of academic regulations and the effectiveness of institutional disciplinary systems.
At the same time, the number should not automatically be interpreted as evidence that examination malpractice is increasing at Kwara State Polytechnic.
The available statement establishes the number of students disciplined in this particular case, but it does not provide enough information to determine a trend over several years.
That distinction is important when reporting education statistics.
The role of the Examination Malpractice Committee
One of the most important elements in the Kwara Polytechnic case is the role of the Examination Malpractice Committee.
According to the institution, the students were investigated after allegations were made against them. The committee then reached findings that resulted in the disciplinary action.
This reflects a broader practice across higher education institutions, where examination misconduct is normally handled through established academic or disciplinary procedures.
For example, the University of Nigeria’s published student code provides different categories of sanctions for academic misconduct and outlines procedures relating to examination malpractice.
The existence of such procedures is important because allegations of misconduct and established findings are not the same thing.
In the Kwara Polytechnic case, the institution says the committee completed its investigation and found the students guilty before the expulsions were approved.
What happens to the students after expulsion?
According to the Polytechnic’s statement, the disciplinary action effectively ended the students’ relationship with the institution.
The management also directed the expelled students to return Polytechnic property in their possession to their respective Heads of Department or other designated authorities.
The available reporting does not provide details about whether individual students have appealed the decisions or whether any appeal process is currently underway.
Therefore, claims about possible reversals or further disciplinary proceedings would be premature unless the institution or affected students provide additional information.
Why examination integrity matters beyond the classroom
The consequences of examination malpractice extend beyond a single examination.
An academic qualification is expected to represent a person’s demonstrated knowledge and competence. If examination results are obtained through cheating, the reliability of that qualification can be questioned.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has previously linked examination malpractice with concerns about the quality and credibility of education, arguing that weak examination integrity can contribute to the production of inadequately qualified graduates.
This is particularly important in fields where graduates eventually work in professions that require specialised knowledge and responsibility.
For students, the lesson is also straightforward: academic regulations are not merely administrative rules. Breaching them can have serious consequences for their education and future opportunities.
A wider challenge for Nigerian education
Kwara State Polytechnic’s decision comes at a time when Nigeria is increasing efforts to strengthen examination security.
The Federal Ministry of Education announced in 2026 that it was introducing measures designed to improve examination credibility, including enhanced question randomisation, stronger supervision and an Examination Learners’ Identity Number for national examinations.
The Federal Government has also said that digital examination systems can help reduce opportunities for malpractice. In May 2026, the government reported a substantial reduction in malpractice associated with the rollout of computer-based examinations in NECO.
Technology, however, is only one part of the solution.
Effective examination integrity also depends on students understanding the rules, invigilators enforcing them consistently, institutions investigating allegations fairly and authorities maintaining credible disciplinary procedures.
What students should understand
The Kwara Polytechnic case provides a broader reminder for students across Nigerian tertiary institutions.
Before an examination, students should understand the institution’s examination regulations and know which materials or forms of assistance are prohibited.
During examinations, students should follow instructions from authorised examination officials and avoid conduct that could be interpreted as an attempt to gain an unfair advantage.
Where a student is accused of misconduct, the institution’s established procedures are important in determining the facts and deciding what disciplinary action, if any, is appropriate.
The central issue is therefore not simply punishment.
It is maintaining an academic environment in which examination results accurately reflect students’ knowledge and individual effort.
What happens next?
For the 42 students, the Polytechnic says the expulsions have been approved and their relationship with the institution has ended.
The management has also directed them to return Polytechnic property.
Further developments would depend on any additional statement from Kwara State Polytechnic, the affected students or any recognised appeal or review process.
For Nigeria’s wider education system, the examination malpractice challenge is likely to remain an important policy issue as authorities continue efforts to strengthen examination security and academic integrity.
The Kwara Polytechnic case therefore goes beyond the headline figure of 42 expelled students.
It highlights the consequences institutions can impose after disciplinary investigations and places the issue within Nigeria’s broader effort to protect the credibility of academic assessment.
Why this matters
The case matters because examinations are intended to provide a credible measurement of what students know and can do.
When malpractice occurs, that measurement can be undermined. When institutions investigate allegations and apply established disciplinary rules, they are also testing the strength and credibility of their own academic governance.
For students, institutions and policymakers, the wider challenge is to ensure that academic success is based on genuine learning, while disciplinary procedures remain clear, properly applied and credible.
Weng Global — Stories beyond borders
Sources:
- Punch Newspapers — report on Kwara State Polytechnic’s expulsion of 42 students following examination malpractice investigations.
- Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation — 2026 measures to strengthen examination integrity.
- Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation — Federal Government’s 2027 target for eliminating examination malpractice.
- West African Examinations Council Nigeria — examination malpractice guidance.
- Examination Malpractices Act, 1999.
