Causes and Effects of Examination Malpractices on the Performance of Secondary School Students

CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF EXAMINATION MALPRACTICES ON THE PERFORMANCE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ORUMBA SOUTH L. G. A., ANAMBRA STATE

ABSTRACT

The study investigated causes and effect of examination malpractice on the performance of secondary school students in Orumba South Local Government Area. Three (3) research questions were used for the study with descriptive survey design adopted. Purposive sample technique and sample size of 200 respondents composed of fifty (50) teachers and hundred and fifty (150) students were used for the study. The responses were analyzed using arithmetic mean (X). The study was reported, among other things, that population explosion, corruption, fear of examination failure, parents’ pressure, laziness on the part of the students, bring about examination fraud. It was further reported that parents’ withdrawal of their children from the affected schools, emergence of bad reputation, employers’ loss of confidence on the educational system, inadequate performance of graduates at work places and cancellation of examinations constitute the effects of examination fraud. It was recommended that adequate funding of schools, adequate re-orientation of all parties to examination fraud, safe keeping of examination question papers and answered scripts, adequate sitting arrangement of students during examinations would help to solve the menace of examination misconduct in our school system.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Examination has been viewed in different ways by different authors, educationists and researchers. According to Kailani and Usman (2009), examination is an organized assessment technique which presents individuals with a series of questions or tasks geared towards ascertaining, if the individual acquired skills and knowledge. Oyechere (2010), also define examination as a formal test of somebody‟s knowledge, skills or ability in a particular subject, especially by means of oral and written questions or practical exercise. In all countries of the world, examination which are in reality and frequently used in competitions, are designed to eliminate the majority of candidates and allocate the remainder to certain known vacancies. Examination malpractice has been defined differently by educators, authors, researchers, administrators and supervisors. Onuoha (2009) defined examination malpractice as unfair practices or irregularities or infringement or irregularities during the conduct of examination. He posited that examination malpractice in recent times has become a threat to the integrity of the nation. As a cankerworm, it has eaten deep into the fabric of the education industry, thus becoming a global issue which has caused some sleepless nights to many genuine academics and scholars. In spite of the crusade made against it by the government and other lovers of education, it still grows speedily more than ever. To Ahmed (2010), examination malpractice is any act of wrongdoing or neglect that contravenes the rules and regulations of acceptable practice before, during and after an examination by any reason. Nowadays, it is not uncommon to hear people discuss examination malpractice as if it is a custom. Perpetrators of this social menace view it as an act which everybody partakes in, hence it is generally acceptable. Therefore, it is not impossible these days to see students with distinction in the west African Examination Certificate (WAEC) Senior School certificate Examination (SSCE), General certificate in Education (GCE) or the equivalent or even first class and second class upper in the universities who cannot defend the certificate. The reason behind it is nothing but examination malpractice which has sucked deep into virtually all levels of the education system. These acts are unbecoming and need to be curtailed. It is a disease; it calls for the attention of all and sundry.

Nwahunanye (2004) posited that some years back, the decision to attend secondary school was in itself a crucial vocational choice. Secondary school education has as one of its objectives; to provide education of higher level, irrespective of sex, social status, religious or ethnic background. National Policy on Education (2004) section 5 sub – section 22 (a) lamented „the extent to which these objectives are being achieved in teaching and learning in secondary schools as in every other level of education is usually appraised or evaluated through examination‟. It is also impossible for one to obtain an academic certificate after passing through an institution without being evaluated. The reverse is also the case due to the way some of our undergraduates see the pursuit of good academic certificate as a do or die affaire. During examination periods, students prepare for the examination in different ways. Some read a month before the examination. Some still prefer using the night before the examination to write down points which they would take into the examination hall. These are mostly the category of students who do not see any reason to prepare for the exercise but rely on “expo” to succeed. In the examination halls, the perpetrators of this unwholesome act operate in divergent ways as they want to make good grades and reap where they did not sow.

Department:  Educational Administration and Planning

Format: MS Word

Chapters: 1 - 5, Preliminary Pages, Abstract, References, Questionnaires
Delivery: Email

Page Numbers: 40

Price: 3000 NGN

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