The Nursing and Midwifery Council in the United Kingdom has indicted 1,238 Nigerian nurses and midwives in the widely spread exam fraud concerns at Yunnik test centre in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The NMC also said 717 Nigerian nurses and midwives are being probed for the exam fraud at the Ibadan centre.

The council, which disclosed this exclusively to our correspondent in an email correspondence, noted that 1,955 Nigerian professionals were impacted by the concerns at Yunnik test centre because they took their tests there.

Earlier, the Home Office asked some Nigerian nurses and midwives being probed for an exam fraud that occurred in Nigeria to leave the UK.

According to Nursing Times, the nurses, who are still awaiting the outcomes of their appeals, have had their visas revoked by the UK.

In 2023, the UK’s council launched a probe into the Yunnik Technologies Test Centre in Ibadan, Oyo State, and commenced investigation following an alert it received about unusual data coming from the centre’s site.

Analysis of data from the test centre showed that the nurses were sitting their Computer-Based Test in record time.

The CBT is one of two aspects of a test of competence that some foreign nurses must complete as part of their NMC application, usually sat in their home countries.

Giving the breakdown, the council highlighted that four groups of professionals were affected by the concerns at the Yunnik test centre in Ibadan.

It stated, “Professionals on the register, who achieved their CBT in a time we believe is more likely than not to indicate that they obtained their result fraudulently (48).

“Applicants wishing to join the register, who achieved their CBT in a time we believe is more likely than not to indicate that they obtained their result fraudulently (669).

“Professionals on the register, about whom we did not take forward allegations of fraud but whose CBT was invalidated (467).

“Applicants wishing to join the register, about whom there was insufficient evidence of fraud but whose CBT was invalidated (771).”

It said the pattern of test taking at Yunnik was in stark contrast to other sites in Nigeria and globally, and indicated widespread fraud whereby hundreds of people at one site were passing the test in times which are highly improbable.

It noted that its regulatory approach to addressing this meant that all affected individuals would be given the opportunity to obtain a new, valid CBT result, with our test provider, Pearson VUE, covering the candidate exam fee.

“Those registrants in group three would then be able to stay on the register with no further action needed. Those applicants in group four would be able to progress to a complete application and join the register if all requirements have been met (including English language requirements, health and character requirements etc).

“Those in groups one and two had the opportunity to retake their CBT, however this would not guarantee remaining on, or joining, the register. Those registrants in group one were referred to an Independent Panel to consider the concerns under our ‘fraudulent entry’ process.

“Those applicants in group two are, upon obtaining a new CBT and demonstrating that they have met all other requirements, having their applications reviewed by an Assistant Registrar. This is because even with a new CBT, there remain concerns relating to our Guidance on health and character, given what happened at Yunnik,” it added.


https://punchng.com/exam-fraud-uk-council-probes-1955-nigerian-nurses/