Causes and Effects of Examination Malpractices
Many factors contribute to this menace. They can be grouped under the following headings:
1. Students’ Factors: First on the list here is laziness and inadequate preparation for examination. This confirms the saying, “he who fails to prepare, prepares to fail”, and since many who failed in preparation are bent on passing at all cost; cheating becomes their only option. Another factor contributing to examination malpractice in relation to students is crave for paper qualifications without the willingness to acquire relevant knowledge and skills.
- Parents’ Factors: The fact that examination malpractice is traceable to parents is not in doubt. It is no more news to hear of parents paying for mercenaries to write examinations on behalf of their children. Some go to bribe teachers or buy live examination papers for their children. This of course has contributed in no small way to the menace of this terrible monster. It is good and proper for parents to desire good success for their children/wards, but wrong and condemnable if they would find no way of helping them succeed other than aiding them one way or the other in examination malpractice.
3. Teachers’ Factor: That many teachers participate in examination malpractice or encourage it cannot be argued against. It is bad enough that many students cheat because they would not study on their own, but, it is worse when the action or inaction of teachers encourage examination malpractice. Some teachers leave their student with no option than cheating because of the lack of proper teaching before examination. Some go to the level of collecting money from students in exchange for examination questions or papers. Many female students pay their way through to excellent grades using what some people call “the bottom power”. What a shame!
4. National life Factor: To say that corruption has been institutionalized in this country is but to say the least. Examination malpractice is just one of the corrupt practices. It is no more a shame to be caught cheating in examination, because corruption has become a way of life for many and almost a daily routine of the vast majority. Now follow, office holders cheat and embezzle public funds, men and women do same in their offices, housewives cheat on their husbands and would steal too, if given the opportunity. But that is not all; law enforcement agents are not free from bribery, teachers in schools and even school administrators are not exempted from one corrupt act or the other, politicians deceive the electorates and many religious leaders do worse using the name of God. Tell me then how and why students should not cheat. Poor state of infrastructure in schools, long closure of schools following strike actions, poor funding for education, loss of the true sense of value or faulty value system; all point to one thing, corrupt system of national life. This has affected all aspects of our national life and is playing out in the educational sector; It could truly be said to be at the root of examination malpractice.
5. Examination bodies’ factor: It is unimaginable why examination bodies would be listed among those facilitating examination malpractices. It is however not in doubt that many officials of examination bodies join fraudulent teachers and sometimes school administrators not only to allow cheating in examinations but promote same with impunity. Some internal and external invigilators are bought over with money, material gifts, and surprisingly with women. This indeed is a sorry state. Poor examination facilities, poor conduct of examination, inadequate spacing of students in examination halls, slack supervision of examination, inefficient invigilation are some of the ways examination bodies contribute to malpractices.
Effects of Examination Malpractice-
- Makes one unable to defend his/her certificate
- Discredits academic institutions and academia
- Cheapens scholarship and degrades intellectual integrity
- Impedes intellectual progress of the nation
- Affects national growth and productivity
- Facilitates the enthronement of a mediocre, half-baked, incompetent and corrupt workforce.
- Leads to high educational wastage as those who cheat to pass examinations at a lower level achieve very poorly at higher levels
- Rubbishes the standard and quality of educational standard in any country.
- Reduces the value of certificates
