The Evil Of Exam Malpractice

Examination malpractice is an evil that has become prevalent in our educational institutions. This illegal act is practised at virtually all tiers of education – primary, secondary and tertiary level.

This ill that plagues our educational system has many other names like ‘expo,’ ‘bullet’ (ngbo), ‘Omokirikiri’ etc. It is done in different ways. Sometimes it is done by the use of notes, phones, notebooks in the examination halls.

Other times it is done by the aid of teachers who supply answers to the students. Some students also hire mercenaries to write the exams for them. Certain schools have also been designated ‘miracle centres’ where students register and write exams with external aid.

When viewed holistically, it is clear that this evil known as examination malpractice is aided and abetted by nearly everybody. This includes the candidates, teachers, law enforcement agents, examination bodies and parents. This is the reason the problem has gone without stop.

Any nation where examinations are observed in the breach cannot progress educationally. Look at Nigeria where the problem is prevalent, students are already developing apathy to learning. A university student was once heard saying that she does not read for exam. She simply tucks her ‘expo’ in her inner wears and do her copying.

Some students have developed the habit of writing on their laps, legs, palms, and handkerchiefs. Some even hide the ‘expo’ materials in their hair. Because of how easy it is to carry implicating materials to examination halls, students hardly attend classes. Some, while in class, are busy playing with their phones or chatting outrightly. Others take selfies and use huge amount of money to either bribe lecturers or mercenaries to write for them.

Parents have not helped matters either. Many parents encourage their children to write exams at special centres for fear that they might fail if they take the examination elsewhere. The implication of this is that parents pay huge sums of money for their children to be assisted. Because they have it on their minds to cheat for their children, some parents have stopped buying books for their kids

To further prove to all how pervasive this menace is, some parents withdraw their children from secondary schools that don’t allow malpractice to ‘miracle centres’ once such children get to SS3. As these centres, the children are aided to make A5 in their Senior Secondary examinations.

What is most disheartening is the role teachers play in promoting this evil in our country. In order not to be seen as incompetent, many teachers assist students who write their subjects to pass in exams. The aim is to make such teachers look like good teachers who have mastery in subjects. Some teachers who assist students in their examinations have been caught and confessed to the crime.

School authorities are not exempted from this societal ill. So many schools encourage examination malpractice so that they can be associated with academic excellence. Such schools usually increase the official WAEC fees so that they can use the additional monies to settle invigilators.

During the last SSCE, a popular school in Port Harcourt was reported to have helped students with answers to the exams on Mathematics. The matter caught the attention of the examination authorities and the paper was cancelled. Not only that, the principal of the school was fired. This is one case where school authorities encourage cheating in examinations. As it stands today, only few schools are not involved in examination cheating.

Sadly, tertiary institutions that ought not be involved in this are neck-deep in it. Many university students pass their courses with the aid of their course lecturers. The women give their bodies while the men give cash to pass their courses.

We all can see that examination malpractice has eaten deep into our educational system. It will be very difficult to eradicate. But if the right measures are taken, it can be curtailed or even eradicated. To curb examination malpractice therefore reading culture among students must be revived. Also, the conduct of examinations must be done strictly. With the aid of technology, I believe this ill can be reduced.

If the above measures and others are put in place, students will be forced to prepare before taking examinations.

Onyeukwu is an intern with The Tide

Esther Onyeukwu