EXAMINATION MALPRACTICES and the effects

Examination malpractice refers to any unethical behavior or action by students, teachers, or administrators during the process of examinations to gain an unfair advantage. It undermines the integrity of education, devalues qualifications, and affects the credibility of educational institutions. Here are key aspects of examination malpractice:

### Types of Examination Malpractice

1. **Cheating by Students:**
- **Copying Answers:** Students may bring unauthorized materials like notes (commonly called "cheat sheets") or copy answers from other students.
- **Impersonation:** A student hires or allows someone else to sit for their examination in their place.
- **Collusion:** Students collaborate during an exam to exchange answers, either through signals, passing notes, or electronic devices.
- **Use of Technology:** Using smartphones, calculators, or other devices to access information or communicate with others during an exam.
- **Pre-Examination Leaks:** Some students gain access to exam papers ahead of time through corrupt staff or other sources.

2. **Teacher/Staff Malpractice:**
- **Leaking Examination Questions:** Teachers or exam officials may provide students with exam questions or answers before the exam.
- **Altering Grades:** Manipulating students’ scores to favor certain individuals, either through bribery or favoritism.
- **Assisting During Exams:** Some teachers may provide help to students during the examination, such as giving hints or directly answering questions.

3. **Parental Involvement:**
- **Bribery or Influence:** Some parents offer bribes to teachers, invigilators, or school authorities to ensure that their children pass.
- **Hiring Impersonators:** In some cases, parents may hire someone to take an exam on behalf of their child.

### Causes of Examination Malpractice

1. **Pressure to Succeed:**
- Many students face intense pressure from parents, teachers, and society to perform well in exams, leading them to resort to unethical methods to avoid failure.

2. **Inadequate Preparation:**
- Lack of proper study habits, poor time management, or insufficient teaching can lead students to rely on malpractice when they feel unprepared.

3. **Fear of Failure:**
- The fear of failing, particularly in high-stakes exams that affect future educational opportunities or career prospects, drives students to engage in malpractice.

4. **Peer Influence:**
- Some students engage in malpractice because they see their peers doing it and don’t want to be at a disadvantage.

5. **Poor Supervision:**
- Inadequate invigilation and poor examination security give students the opportunity to cheat without fear of being caught.

6. **Corruption in Educational Systems:**
- Corruption among teachers, administrators, and examination officials creates an environment where malpractice is not only possible but also encouraged in some cases.

1. EFFECTS OF EXAMINATION MALPRACTICES

Being An Orientation Lecture Presented By

RASHEED K. O.
([phone], ([phone]
[email protected]

Ph.D (In view), M.Ed, B.Sc (Ed), MNAEAP, EMPM, MNIM, MTRCN, MACSN,
CT, Dip. Digital Mkt., CEAF, CME, W
10
FE, CMIE, FMIE, MAPROCON, AMIBRN,
MCIEMA (USA)



For TAI SOLARIN COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

2. What is Examination?
The oxford advanced learners dictionary (2000) defined examination as spoken or
practical test at school or college especially an important one that you need to do in
order to get a qualification. The Wikipedia further asserted that a test or examination
is an assessment intended to measure a test-takers knowledge or skill, aptitude,
physical fitness or classification in many other topics (e.g. beliefs).

An examination is a form of evaluation where the learner is tested in all areas covered
in the process of teaching at the end of a semester for proper placement and
certification. Examination usually comes in the form of:

i) Essay: which involves choice of questions where lengthy written answers are
expected.

ii) Objective: this is designed to make students to answer a large number of questions
either by making statements as true or false or by selecting the best of several
(multiple choice) given answers.

iii) Practical: this is employed in scientific and technical fields to test theory.

iv) Oral: this is given to simply recognize phonetic symbols in a given word commonly
used to test languages and other fields.

3. Purposes of Examination
Examination can provide information about an individual,
student or group of students, a school (in terms of
whether it is performing according to expectation), or
about educational system (in terms of whether or not the
set objectives are being met). The examination lies in the
centre of any educational enterprise as it serves three
main purposes:
i) Measuring competence or achievement in a given field
of endeavour.
ii) Helping predict future success and also assisting in
selection purposes.
iii) As an activity, providing incentives to learning.
iv) To know the weaknesses of the learners.

4. What is Malpractice?
Malpractice refers to all illegal
means adopted by students in
passing examination either within
or outside the examination hall. It
can be taking to mean cheating
cookery or fraud.

5. EXAMINATION MALPRACTICE
•Examination malpractice is defined as any
deliberate act of wrong doing, contrary to the rules
of examinations designed to give a candidate an
undue advantage.
•Examination malpractice also known as cheating is
the illegal action that students take during their
examinations to try to make good grades by cutting
corners.
•Examination malpractice is an act or irregular
manner of testing candidates which contravenes
the rules and conventions guiding the conduct of
examinations.

6. Origin of Examination Malpractice in
Nigeria
Examination malpractice is not a new phenomenon in Nigeria.
Examination malpractice can be traced to year 1914 when the
Senior Cambridge Local Examination leaked. That was thirty-
eight (38) years before the West African Examinations Council
(WAEC) was established.

In 1948, a Nigerian had his paper on History cancelled for
coming to the examination hall with foreign paper that was
related to the examination in question.

In 1963, WAEC detected leakages in the First School Leaving
Certificate and General Certificate of Education/School
Certificate Examinations.

And on and on . . .

7. Different Forms of Examination Malpractices
Expo. Is used to describe a situation of exposing the examination questions papers to
the candidates before they actually sit for the examinations.

Giraffing. This is an act of sticking out one’s neck to see another student’s answer
sheet in the examination hall.

Lateral Connection. This is a sitting arrangement whereby the bright student is seated
in the centre flanked on both sides by other students.

Dubbing. This is when students copy in the examination hall either another student’s
paper or the material they brought into the examination hall.

Contract. This reflects a situation when a students‟ grade is influenced with the
assistance of a friendly lecturer.

Tatoo. This is when a male/female student writes information on the tender parts of
his/her thigh or in a shoe where he/she can easily adjust to reveal the material and
such material can be cleared within a second when there is a problem.

8. Different Forms of Examination Malpractices
Body Aids. Involve jotting of points /answers on the underwear’s, or
thighs for referencing during examination.

Mercenary Service. Involve employing the service of another
student/person to write the examination.

Table Top. Is writing of anticipated answers on the top of a desk
before the commencement of examination.

CNN. Is the sharing of questions and answers between groups for
eventual connection in the examination hall.

Time Out. Is the act of going out to the toilet to read up answers.

Direct Access. Is an act whereby an Examiner helps students during
examination.

9. Different Forms of Examination Malpractices
Plagiarism. This indicates a situation when a student collects and writes another student’s
answer word for word.

Computo. This involves the use of calculators, which has facilities for multiple entries. The
Invigilator may not know that it has such facilities; she/he may think it is an ordinary calculator.

Missile Catch. Represent answer written on a piece of paper, squeezed and thrown to a student
while the examination is going on.

Swapping. Is an exchange of paper booklets so that the bright student can write answers out for
his/her friend.

Token: Involve jotting of points on the mathematical set, razor blades, rulers, hankies and others
of the like for referencing during examinations.

Stroke. Is a situation whereby students pretend to be sick during an examination in order to gain
the Examiner’s sympathy while marking.

E-Cheating. Is the habit of students engaging ICT devices to indulge in examination malpractices.

The introduction of the Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) in Nigeria has
revolutionalized examination malpractices in all tiers of our school system.

10. Causal Factors of Examination
Malpractices

1. Society-Related Factors:
a) Undue emphasis on Certificates
b) Poor staffing of schools
c) Laxity in prosecuting offenders
d) Inadequate funding on education

2. Institution-Related Factors:
a) Un-pragmatic examination questions
b) Poor invigilation and sitting arrangement
c) Lack of conducive examination environment

3. Teacher-Related Factors:
•a) Threat to fail students
•b) Lack of commitment on the part of lecturers during teaching
•c) Anxiety caused by non-completion of the syllabus
•d) Leakages through lecturers
•e) Un-stimulating course materials
•f) Strikes that often interrupt the school programme

11. Causal Factors of Examination
Malpractices
4. Learner-Related Factors:
•a) The fear of failure
•b) Inadequate preparation
•c) Desire to meet societal expectations
•d) Lack of confidence in one’s ability

5. Group-Related Factors:
•a) Parents/Guardians
•b) Examination Officials
•c) Examining Board Computer Operators
•d) Law Enforcement Agents
•

12. The Effects Of Examination Malpractices

1. It gives a false impression on knowledge, understanding or skills possessed by
students.

2. It defeats the basis of objective comparison between and among candidates.

3. Examination malpractice makes the selection of the best for a particular position or
level difficult.

4. It makes a mockery of excellence and standard and sends the signal that honesty
does not pay.

5. It breeds mediocrity and enthrones laziness and stupidity, thereby discouraging hard
work, which is the foundation of growth and progress.

6. It fosters self-deception as those who engage in examination malpractices cannot
correctly and objectively assess their competence.

7. It is a violation of the law of Almighty God and a reproach to individual’s families
and a nation.

13. The Effects Of Examination Malpractices

8. It places education and evaluation on a very precarious foundation and
creates a picture of a nation growing on falsehood.

9. It retards the development of a nation. That is, it can create a nation of
consumers and not producers.

10. It breeds criminals, “fraudsters” and killers. We can imagine the havoc that
fake medical doctors can cause to people and nation.

11. It frustrates the use of examination for educational reforms, as it will be
difficult for the administrators of education to know the extent to which the
objectives of education are being served.

12. It erodes public confidence in examinations and the entire educational
system.

13. It causes confusion and disorientation for the society and employers of
labour.

14. Means of Curbing Examination
Malpractices

1. Public Enlightenment

2. Information to Candidates

3. Sensitization of Government/Stakeholders

4. Sanctions

5. Embossment of Examination Album

15. Solutions To Examination Malpractices?
•The Parents

•The Teachers

•The Government
•
•The Society

•The Students
•
•The School Authorities

16. PICTURE SPEAKS MORE

21. Recommended Solution