CONCEPT OF EXAMINATION MALPRACTICE !!!!!!

INTRODUCTION

    It must be stated without doubt that examination malpractice have assumed alarming and disturbing rate at various levels in our school system. Many patriotic Nigerians are disturbed by the tread; since it could lead to a stage where certificate obtained by our education institutions will not be recognized by other countries. Education is believed to be the last hope of the common man in any country if it is allowed to be destroyed by omission or commission. It will be a disaster for the overall development of the nation and also the future of our children will be stake.

    According to Ajoke and Harbor-Peters (1990) examination malpractice refers to any action taken by those involved in a test or examination which renders the result obtained form such assessment invalid. Before now, malpractice of a general nature such as cases bordering on anxiety and general inadequate preparation were prevalent in both internal and external examinations.  Other examination malpractice like smuggling cribs textbooks into the halls collusion and attempts to copy from other candidates work common presently sophisticated method like use of contractors impersonation, dubbing, bullets or missiles etc are used.  However, examination malpractice has taken a dangerous and disturbing turn in recent years since parents; teachers, supervisors and even the school principals are directly involved. There had been a case where supervisors are bought by parents or students to enable the later do where they like in the hall. Thus, such supervisors allow students to take questions papers outside to be solved by touts commonly referred to as “mercenaries”. At times, questions are solved by subject teachers and solutions distributed to candidates who contribute money to finance the deal. There had been a case where principals organize welfare or entertainment funds in order to but the supervisor over and make them co-operate. The supervisors in turn feel indifferent to whatever is happening in the hall.  Principal in these school also arrange to ensure an early warning as soon as an external supervisor is sighted some supervisors also do not parcel their answer script at the appropriate time but want for a convenient time to substitute candidates scripts on payment of the require fees.  The above forms of examination malpractice are peculiar with external examination.

    Examination malpractices also occur in internal examination but highly technical as those discussion above. In most cases principles and teachers are not involved except few teachers who gives them question papers to loved students. However students go on their own way to make sure they pass the examination, this they carry notebooks, textbooks and others written materials into the hall some wrote on their legs, hands and in pieces of papers which they pin to their dresses.  These incidence of examination malpractice has reduced students urge to read hence the believe that they will find a way of passing when the examination comes thus one of the reasons for the introduction of the present 6-3-3-4 system of education which is to curb examination malpractices in not yielding fruits.

    As a result of the in-controllable rate of examination malpractice Ugwu (1993) said that “the problem is academic virtually in all schools in the country. Those who are caught and punished are just a tiny fraction of the culprits they are regarded by student as the unfortunate ones.

    This is causing a lot of concern to patriotic and well meaning, Nigerians especially those in the school system.  Every Nigerian should therefore contribute his or her quota to see that this menace is wiped out of our school system. To this end it will be pertinent to study the causes of examination malpractices in order to find solution to them

Concept of Examination Malpractice

    Examination malpractice has been seen from different dimensions by different individuals. Examination malpractice according to Igbokwe (1986) is a practice where by the rulers and regulations guiding the conduct of examination are greatly flouted. Okeke (1985) in his own opinion define it as all the illegal ways candidates use to scale through examinations. Ajoke (1999) defined it as any action taken by through involved in a test or examination which renders the result obtained from such assessment invalid.

    For further clarification Decree No. 29, 1984 stipulated that for any person who frequently or with intent to cheat or secure any undue advantage for himself or other person or in abuse of his office sells buys or other wise deals with any question paper intended for the examination of person at any examination. The decree provides that such a person shall be greatly of an offence and on conviction sentence 21 years imprisonment, concerning members of the examination bodies, principals, teachers or states in sub-section II that where the accused person is an employee of anybody concerned both the conduct of examination, a head teacher, teacher or other person entrusted with the safely or security of question papers, he shall be proceeded against and punished as provided in this section not with standing that question paper concerned is proved not to be love, genuine or does not relate to the examination concerned.

    With the provision of this decree, government showed her concern over examination malpractices in this country at least in theory. Having seen the meaning of examination malpractice the researcher can now go to discuss the causes of examination malpractice.

Causes of Examination Malpractice

    Some causes of the terrible phenomena examination malpractice have been identified and they include:

1.    The Nigeria Factor

    This is a new phrase used to explain any event that appear to defy eradication and has therefore been accepted as an excuse.

    According to the news watch magazine (1991) perhaps the best explanation for the wide spread examination fraud in Nigeria is that it is clearly a reflection of the large society. It quotes Muzali Jubril (1987) as saying that examination malpractice is the product of a society that nurtures cheat and mediocre and turns them into celebrities. According to him, it is a reflection of the moral decadence of our society who have pen rubbers smuggles and drug borrows who are glorified by their ill gotten wealth.  This is a true summary of the situation, thus Nigerians want money, power and certificates including honorary doctorate degree and the children of the affluent and powerful Nigerians must get into the university to pursue prestigious courses. For this they must get credit in senior school certificate act all cost thus. According to Obasi (1989), education is a product of society is a product of its education  the implication of this assertion is that society influences education and education in turn influence society.

2.    Lack of Teachers Total Commitment to Teaching Poor Training

    Most teachers in our schools are not doing effective teaching even though teachers are poorly treated. Many teachers find it hard to attend classes as at when due.  Some do not even plan their lessons accordingly only to cheat the students instead of teaching them.  When this is the situation, students actually have little or no knowledge of what is expected of them and they have alternative than to restart to examination malpractices. Reading to this Massey (1970) said, the problem is not what to teach but how to teach. If the how is lost, then the what and when have little significance.  This implies act even when teachers are in attendance, some of them use unsuitable teaching method while teaching some teachers may be knowledge but encounter some difficulties in impacting them knowledge to the students.  This is usually caused by lack of proper dedication to the noble profession. In fact, it is a start makes truth that most people who parade themselves as teachers are just that there to give molders to character murders.

3.    Lack of Adequate Learning Facilities

    This is another factors that causes examination malpractices. Great educational psychologist like Pavlvo and his associates must be wonderful to make the following assertion “Learning can only take place when the learner is ready, the leaner can only be ready if he is put under conductive atmosphere, conducive atmosphere can only exist when all the necessary learning materials are put in place.

    It is disheartening to note that most students these days attend school without sufficient textbooks as a result of the sky rocketing increase in prove of textbooks, which are not affordable by parents due to poverty. It is often said that a student who goes to school without textbook is like a farmer who goes to farm without farm implements.

    Equally research shows that most secondary schools in Enugu Urban and its environment are making do with substandard and over crowed libraries our classrooms are not sufficient to meet up with the teaching population of students and even when they are sufficient, they are characterize by insufficient seat and lockers.

    Itan (1991) opinion-ed that “the condition insert which student study and write examination is conducive to malpractice proper is not done, you create room even for a saint to cheat.

4.    Incessant Industrial Action by Teachers

    Another glaring point of emphasis is the incessant industrial action being embarked by our practicing teachers.  The rate of teacher strike is high although government is trying to curb it by the introduction of adverse measures on teachers. It is said that when two elephants fight, the grass supper each time, school is forcibly closed down, academic work are condensed and students become panicky and start to explore the best means to pass their examination.

5.    Negligence of Duty and Careless of People Handling Examination   

    This is also another cause of examination malpractice this is true because those people that handle these examinations question. WAEC officials and those that conduct it do their work well thereby making the leakage of examination question papers possible. According to Large (1977) possible causes of malpractice include examiners, staff of WAEC and those that prone and suture question papers. Others include drivers, security men, supervisors etc.

6.    Poor Implementation of Continuous Assessment

    According to Nworgu (2003), the National Policy on Education (Federal Ministry of Education) proposes that educational assessment should be based on continuous assessment at all levels of the education system. This was introduced to replace the one-shot summative evaluation which used to be administered on student at the end of each academic session for the purpose of promotion to a new class.

    Regrettably the reason for the introduction of this programmed has failed to bring out any good yield due to poor implementation by educational administrators rendering the aim of the introduction as contained in the National Policy on Education invalid.

7.    Absence of Severe Punishment for Cheat

    This contributes to examination fraud. This is true because, victims are not dealt with securely. Again despite an attempt made by the federal government in 1984 under Degree 29, which authorized that anybody caught in examination malpractice will be sentenced to 21 years jail. The problem still persists because victims give money to examination officials in order to be released, thus encouraging this evil act on our students.

8.    Desire to Pass Compulsory Subjects

    Montoya (1971) Berneth and Dalton (1981) also reported that the desire to satisfy the prerequisites for entry into higher institution and the motive to avoid failure were the basic factors responsible for cheating behavior among students.

    In Nigeria everybody has realized the importance of educational as such needed by almost everybody.  In order to see that they are enrolled into the tertiary institution they engage in examination malpractice.

Those Involved in  Examination Malpractice

    Many people are involved in examination malpractice supporting this statement, Atuzeogu (1995) asserts that “the new trend is now an organized affairs in which some time parents, the supervisors invigilators, subject teachers and even some principal are overly or covertly implicated.

    According to him, some supervisors or relieving the question papers from the custodian quickly and secretly slit open the packet and remove a copy for photocopying which are distributed through a pre-established network.

    Sometimes, the question papers are smuggled out by students to touts they had hired and who make themselves available within the school compound during examination periods.  That is why the surroundings of examination hall in such schools look more like a market square than school compound.

    Parents on then own part to this source they give their children money and sometimes if they know the supervisors or anybody that can help try to contract him or her to give a helping hand to their children when and where necessary.

    Examiners and security men are involved in the act. There was an incidents where a policeman, who was to assist in the invigilation was seen directing with students. It is not on over statement to say that those collaborators the teachers, the supervisors, invigilators security men and the principal, parent, student are controlled by greed auricle-extreme desire for wealth. Angered by this, Anyika (1991) opined that all examination conducting bodies should purge themselves of undesirable elements in their mist. They still have skeleton in their cupboards.

Method Used in Examination Malpractice

    The people that indulge in examination malpractice use dangerous and sophisticated methods supporting this fact. Igbokwe (1986) stated examination frauds had before soiled the good aim of our learning system with devices as the exchange of papers in examination leakage of examination question papers before the D-day and such other related trifles have now undergone a revolution. The following are some of the sophisticated methods used by student to cheat during examinations.

1.    Impersonation

    According to Ugwu (1993) impersonation has been discussed as on of the several ways of used by the students to cheat during examination. He went on to assert that candidates obtain form from examining authority fill in their correct bio-data but attach the picture of the mercenary that will actually write the examination. A more sophisticated device is where the candidates buy two entry forms, one of himself and the other for the impersonator.  During the examination the two candidates do not write their numbers in the answer sheet until the last minute where the answer sheets are slopped.

2.    Use of Contractors

    In another development (Ugwu Ibidi) identified another device as the use of “contractors”. A contractor in the malpractice contest is known as the middle man. He is a vendor of question or answer sheets.  Ugwu (1987), in analyzing this method further state that invigilators, examination attendants and even security agents acts as contractors. The contractors work is mainly to enable candidates smuggle question papers out and later help to return completed examination scripts to the supervisors table.  Some supervisors allow candidates to remove their answer scripts, rewrite on a new answer sheet and return for inclusion into the parcel containing other scripts.

    This is another device used to cheat during examinations. This device is so called because of the collaboration or mass help involved. Writing on this device the NUT chairman states that some student jot down answer on their question papers and pass round among members. It also occur when students sit close enough to enable needy ones usually unintelligent students to giraffe into their neighbours answer sheets to copy.  During marking such collaboration are usually detected by the almost verbatim answers of the student. Students also whisper answers in coded language to one another especially in objective questions. Some teachers join the students in the use of coded sign language to one another especially in objective questions.  Some teachers join the students in the use of coded sign language in answering objective questions the five fingers are coded A-E beginning from the thumb. If the answer to a question is A then the thumb is raised, etc.

    This is another method used to cheat in the examination. Chukwu (1994) identified that here strong young men who have left school are used.  Some of these men take part to ensure the success of their friends, brothers and sisters, etc.  Many unscrupulous wealthy parents hire these undergraduates as ex-students and pay them whatever cost to ensure the success of their children and wards. These groups are dangerous being suicidal gang. They mark windows from where they snatch questions papers and return to submit the answer in various ways to the candidate involved. They can threaten abuse and even attack any serious minded supervisors or invigilators who stand on their way.

3.    Missiles or Bullet

    Chukwu 1994 also observed that bullets or missiles as they are called are other devices that have increased cheating in examination. He therefore connects that bullets of missiles are any pieces of papers or even toilet paper containing summaries our main answer to examination questions.  Bullet are regarded as fired when the content have been used by the target students.  Here small stones are used to wrap these pieces of paper to given them weight when thrown to the candidates.

4.    Dubbing

    This method according to Chukwu (1994) means direct copying textbooks are often toured.  Relevant pages or pieces are hidden here and there especially in lockers for direct copying. Students used cardboard to build ceiling under their lockers where they hide materials.

5.    Tattooo or Body Writing

    This is another method used and it is chiefly perfected by female students. This is considered very safe as it can be cleared within seconds. Vital areas used are the tender thighs covered by skirts.  As soon as Ccthe examination starts, the student open her skirt often to copy down the points into her answer script. Most invigilators especially men cannot intrude because of the moral question they have to answer. Why were they looking into the girls’ sensitive areas?

6.    Expo

    In 1977 examination malpractice was so high and master minded by examination officials that it earned the name “EXPO 77”. This was among the oldest methods. In this method, live question papers are leaked to candidates before the examination day.  It was as a result of the leakage of the SSCE question papers that made the Federal Government of Nigeria to cancel some of the papers taken by students in 2005/2005 SSCE including mathematics includes a core subject.

7.    Super Print

    Super print as it is described under this context is coded writing which from a distance look like flowering designs. They are discovered on handkerchiefs, skirts, jackets, lining etc.

EFFECTS OF EXAMINATION MALPRACTICE

Examination malpractices have consistently remained a bane of Nigerian educational system. Most foreigners say that the academic certificates being issued to graduates in Nigeria are no more valuable that the pieces of paper on which they are printed resulting to this; some of the effects are listed below;

Discourages good candidates from studying hard; good candidates are tempted to believe “if you cannot beat them, join them.” Especially as they see other candidates get away with other corrupt behaviors. This behavior maybe contagious as more and more candidates tend to join in examination malpractices where they believe that even if they are caught, they will get away with it and the end will justify the means. Unachukwu & Omenkwu (1999) sampled 5000 Nigerians from three professional groups; teachers, business men and civil servants) and found them 52.6% of the respondents did not see anything bad with cheating, while any 92.% considered that cheating is bad.

Discredits Certificate:  Employers of labor require certain skills from clear employers based on the certificate they held. These employers are disappointed when their employees perform grossly below expectation. The implication is that the employers will begin to rely more on their own tests and oral interviews. Than the certificates the applicants are holding in order to employ suitable hands. This is not only in job-seeking but even in admission processes. Some private universities in Nigeria conduct post-hoc examinations for students seeking admission instead of relying on whatever grades or scores they have in the university matriculation examination.

Denies Innocent Students Opportunity For admission: Many good students have been denied admission by the corrupt ones who went through examination malpractices have better scores and grades. The best brains that could help in research and development are likely to be thrown out or frustrated while seeking admission. The corrupt ones admitted continue in their behavior which won them admission  and eventually wangle their ways through the program-me.

Decreases Job Efficiency: this has a serious implication on the gross domestic product of the country. It also has effect on the general quality and standard. Imagine the havoc a half-baked medical doctor could wreck on human lives. What about teachers who cannot competently handle the subject they are trained to teach. Imagine the effect on the students. There is a chain effect of examination malpractices on the educational system and the society as a whole.

Dominates Examination planning and conduct procedures: The procedures in development and administration of external examinations are many. These include stating the objectives, writing of items and production of drafts, validation and field trial, selection of final items and production paper. The result of this study also confirms the views of 800 eze (2004) and Onyechere (2004). Sooeze (2004) considered examination malpractice as illegal means which students use to pass examinations and Onyechere (2004) noted that it is almost a routine for students to cheat in examination.

The threat of examination on the validity of examination has made some examination bodies to give excessive attention to checking examination malpractices even as the test development stage.  Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) administers different  question formats in which questions do not follow the same order. The alternatives under each question in a format do not also follow the same order. Examination bodies therefore make a lot of effort both at the test development and administration stages to combat examination malpractices.

Delays the processing of examination scores and grades: Every year, many students are caught for engaging in various examination malpractices which needs to be investigates before results are released. Though some results are withheld pending the determination of the cases, some are decided before results are released. This extends processing time.

Dissatisfied candidates: Candidates who possess certificates they cannot defend are dissatisfied. They have psychological problems arising from the way they acquired their certificates. IN some instances, they will not be bold to present the certificates because they can be presented with tasks that will require them to defend the certificate.

Ways to Eradicate Examination Malpractice

    Examination malpractices has be the order of day which is been practiced in schools, colleges and universities from the findings and conclusions drawn on this study following control measures have been made in order to eradicate this threat that have been affecting the Nigeria school system, they are as follows:

Adequate Teaching

1.    There should be adequate teaching to prepare student before examination and also in a good learning environment so that the student would not be disturbed while the lectures in being taught.

Educative Lectures

2.    Students should made to know the importance of education and as such be serious with their studies, because education is the key in our generation now because every thing going on in the world now is science inclined and more education people are needed in our society nowadays t run the affairs of our country.

Increment in the Salaries of the Workers

3.    Lecturers salaries and entitlements should be paid promptly to ensure their continuous dedication to work.

4.    There should be gradual shift from relying solely on certificates to other non-traditional attitudes like attitudes and creativity as a determinant of educational placement or entry into world of work. This implies that effective counseling services and systematic screening should be provided to assist student to be placed where they rightly belong.

Specialization

5.    Parents should allow their children to do courses they specialized on. Furthermore, effort should be made to improve the quality of continuous assessment techniques and stores so that they will be given a greater weight in the overall grade. There should be proper restoration of adequate supervision of lectures of supervisors of educations.

    There should be general improvement in the moral status of the entire society so that everybody acts in accordance to rules and regulations. Moreover, proper and impeccable sanity should be restored in all examination bodies so that all the corrupt officials can be showed their way act.

CONCLUSION

    The findings for the study have revealed the causes of examination in schools universities and colleges.  It is hoped that those findings will be immense benefit to the students, teachers, heads of the schools, parents and the public in general.  The findings of the study have the following educational implications.  The fact that student engage in examination malpractice mean that they are not adequately taught or prepared for the examination. This affects the aim of our educational system.

    The continued involvement of officials and parents in the act shows that either that they do not know their work or that something is wrong somewhere.

    The findings also reveal that although government has promulgated a number of decrees against the act. It is theory. If they are put into practice, there is no reason why there should not be less case of examination malpractices in schools.