The Coordinator of the Southeast Conference Marking Zone of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Associate Professor Gideon Okoroiwu, has commended the smooth and successful conclusion of the 2026_1 conference marking exercise.
He made the commendation on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, during an interview with a NOUN News correspondent at the Southeast Central Marking Zone in Enugu State.
Okoroiwu stated that although the university's marking policy had been in existence for several years, some subject officers and examiners had not always complied fully with its requirements, resulting in practices that fell short of expected standards.
According to him, the university has now fully embraced conference marking, a system in which examiners converge at designated centres to carry out the marking exercise under close supervision to ensure quality, consistency, and credibility.
He explained that the new approach differs significantly from previous practices, where some examiners took scripts home and, in some cases, delegated the marking to junior colleagues. This, he noted, often resulted in score discrepancies and raised concerns about the credibility of examination results.
While commending the subject officers for their commitment, professionalism, diligence, and teamwork, Okoroiwu also praised the examiners for their maturity, cooperation, thoroughness, and attention to detail, which contributed to the production of quality and credible results.
He added that the examiners demonstrated a high level of diligence by strictly adhering to the approved marking guides throughout the exercise.
Speaking on the roles played by script officers and checkers, the coordinator applauded them for their promptness, dedication, and effective coordination, noting that they discharged their responsibilities diligently.
Commenting on some of the challenges encountered during the exercise, Okoroiwu said, "One of the initial challenges was convincing some examiners to remain at the centre throughout the marking period, as a number of them were unwilling to accept the conditions attached to the exercise."
The Associate Professor of Medical and Public Health also disclosed that the centre experienced a temporary power outage and inadequate ventilation at one point, which created a stressful working environment. However, he noted that the university management responded promptly and resolved the issues.
The coordinator further explained that the exercise could not be concluded within the initially stipulated timeframe due to an insufficient number of BNSC examiners. He added that some examiners indicated that their work schedules would not permit them to remain at the centre long enough to complete the assignment.
According to him, the extension granted for the exercise provided an opportunity to engage additional BNSC examiners, whose contributions facilitated the successful completion of the marking of examination scripts.
Okoroiwu expressed appreciation to the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Uduma Oji Uduma, for motivating examiners by increasing the refreshment allowance from ₦3,000 to ₦10,000. He also commended the university management for its commitment to providing adequate materials and a conducive environment for future conference marking exercises.
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