CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Examination malpractice has become a
normal occurrence among students world over, but more worrisome in
Nigeria. Though there have been endless discussions on whether
examination exercise should be expunged from school activity but there
has not been any other substitute to assess the effectiveness of
teaching and learning of both teachers and students respectively.
Therefore, examination still remains one strong way of assessing
academic activities in schools. Examination, as it were remains one of
the Herculean tasks that is insurmountable for students generally
irrespective of their level, sex, status or age. At the mention of
examination, students begin to agitate, worry, pant, and express other
general disposition of anxiety. Aside these common feelings toward
examination especially in Nigeria, Ugo & Odimba (2010) submitted
that there is over-reliance on results of examinations to secure higher
education or to get jobs by the students; and there is high level of
moral decadence in the society. Consequent upon these, students resort
to various corrupt practices to achieve ‘successes’ in examinations.
Ugo & Odimba (2010) described
examination malpractice as any action done or omitted which makes it
impossible to use an examination in determining the level of competence
of a candidate in absorbing, reproducing, and where appropriate,
applying knowledge. In effect, examination malpractice is any negative
deviation or departure from the recommended and accepted norms in the
conduct of examination. It is reported that students have devised
several ways of practicing examination malpractice, among which are:
impersonation; bringing in foreign materials (books, calculator);
substituting worked scripts; stealing, converting, misappropriating
scripts; collusion in the examination hall (copying); mass/organized
cheating involving assistance from teachers and outsiders; and
insult/assault on supervisors/ invigilators (Alutu & Aluede, 2010).
In describing how institutionalized and fraternal examination
malpractice has become in Nigeria, Ijaiya (2002) stated that the
examination malpractice practitioners employ the services of adult
agents/collaborators inform of the teachers, examination agents (in form
of examiners in the case of external examinations), touts/mercenaries,
as well as the parents to perform the act.
The common belief on certificates as the
only yardstick to measure ones qualification has led many Nigerians
into buying educational certificates to prove their academic worth.
Examination malpractice in Nigeria is as old as the country herself.
According to (Anzene, 2014), examination malpractice was first reported
in Nigeria in the year 1914, when the question papers of the Senior
Cambridge Local Examinations were reportedly seen by candidates before
the scheduled date of the examination. The Examination Malpractice Act
(1999) explains examination malpractice as any act of omission or
commission by a person who in anticipation of, before, during or after
any examination fraudulently secure any unfair advantage for himself or
any other person in such a manner that contravenes the rules and
regulations to the extent of undermining the validity, reliability,
authenticity of the examination and ultimately the integrity of the
certificates issued. Again, examination malpractice is commonly defined
as a deliberate wrong doing contrary to official examination rules
designed to place a candidate at an unfair advantage or disadvantage,
(Akaranga & Ongong, 2013). Jimoh (2009) remarked that examination
malpractice is any irregular behaviour exhibited by a candidate or
anybody charged with the conduct of examination before, during or after
the examination that contravenes the rules and regulations governing
such examination. Onuka & Durowoju (2013) defined examination
malpractice as any dishonest or unauthorized action or deed committed by
a student on his own or in collaboration with others like fellow
students, guardians, parents, teachers, head teacher, examination
officials, supervisors, invigilators, security officers and anybody or
group of people before, during or after examination in order to obtain
undeserved marks or grades.
From all the definitions, it is clear
that examination malpractice tends to confer undue advantage or
undeserved grade to the perpetrators of the act. Again, it may be
committed by not only the candidates but also by other bodies charged
with the responsibilities of examination management. Undoubtedly,
examination malpractice has been a social problem for decades, but the
rate and manner it is perpetrated nowadays calls for serious concern.
The rate of this crime has become so widespread that there is virtually
no examination anywhere at all levels and outside the formal school
system that there is no one form of illegal practice or another, (Nnam
& Inah, 2015; Ojonemi et al., 2013). Examination malpractices are
common everywhere and every examination season witnesses the emergence
of new and ingenious ways of cheating, (Nnam &Inah, 2015; Anzene,
2014; Ojonemi et al., 2013; Jimoh, 2009). This study is however
examining the causes and the effects of examination malpractices among
SS3 students of secondary schools.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The issue of examination malpractices
has become a major problem that many researchers has carries out studies
on its causes and effect on students in different part of the world
though none of the researches was conducted in Kano State. In the bid to
curb this ugly menace of examination malpractice, Federal government of
Nigeria enacted Act. 33 of 1999 constitution. This act spelt out the
various forms of examination malpractice and the penalties that are
attached, which range from a fine of N100, 000 to imprisonment of 3 to 4
years. In the same vein, the state and local governments and
non-governmental organizations have mounted series of workshops,
seminars, campaigns and talks on the pernicious effects of examination
malpractice on the students, educational sector and on the image of the
nation at international level. In the same line, several academics have
written and attended scholarly conferences to proffer solutions to the
problem of examination malpractice; and all these efforts have yielded a
little improvement on the challenge to have clean and fair examinations
in the country. To further lend a helping hand to surmount this problem
is the examination of its causes and effect as a way of identifying the
solution; hence this study.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The following are the objectives of this study:
- To examine the causes of examination malpractice among the SS3
students of secondary schools in Gwale Local Government of Kano State.
- To examine the effects of examination malpractice among the SS3
students of secondary schools in Gwale Local Government of Kano State.
- To identify the solutions to the issues of examination malpractice
among the SS3 students of secondary schools in Gwale Local Government of
Kano State.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
- What are the causes of examination malpractice among the SS3
students of secondary schools in Gwale Local Government of Kano State?
- What are the effects of examination malpractice among the SS3
students of secondary schools in Gwale Local Government of Kano State?
- What are the solutions to the issues of examination malpractice
among the SS3 students of secondary schools in Gwale Local Government of
Kano State?
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The following are the significance of this study:
- The outcome of this study will be useful to education
administrators, teachers and students on the causes, effect and solution
to the menace of examination malpractices among secondary school
students in Nigeria.
- Findings from this study will be useful for future researches has it
will constitute part of the empirical literature making it a guide for
future researchers.
1.7 SCOPE/LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
This study is limited to SS3 students of
selected secondary school in Gwale Local government area of Kano state.
It will also cover the causes and effects of examination malpractices
among them.
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Exam: a formal test of a person's knowledge or proficiency in a particular subject or skill
Malpractices: Improper, illegal, or negligent professional activity