Did you know that one million dollars are lost to examination malpractices in Nigeria every year?
50% of Nigerian students have been victims of examination malpractice. They failed a subject or an exam due to examination malpractices.
Or that a teacher or lecturer is involved in over 70% of these cases, and sometimes, even the Principal. These are just some of the sad truths about examination malpractices in Nigeria.
Examination malpractices are scandals that have taken over the Nigerian education sector.
In this article, we will look into the major causes, effects, and solutions to examination malpractices in Nigeria's educational sector.
Effects of examination malpractices on students are closely associated with poor results and low academic performances.
Low academic performances affect both students' native aptitude, their future development as well as their future career opportunities.
The effects exam malpractice can have on students can be demotivating and discouraging. Those suffering from the problem may eventually affect their performance later on in life.
But before we look into the causes, effects, and solutions to examination malpractices in Nigeria, let's quickly check what examination malpractice is.
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What Is Examination Malpractice?
Examination Malpractice is defined as a deliberate illegal act contrary to the rules and regulations of the official examination.
In another way, it can be defined as illegal or improper conduct by a candidate of an examination with the aim to pass an exam.
This illegal act is alarming in our educational sector today. Many students are always on the lookout for means to cheat in their exams.
Cheating in examinations is a problem prevalent in our society today, as a result of an abundance of examination malpractices.
Now, let's check the causes of examination malpractice in our Nigerian schools today.
Causes Of Examination Malpractice In Schools
There are many factors that cause examination malpractice among students in Nigeria and other countries.
Some of them are:
1. Fear of failure.
2. Laziness of students.
3. Lack of self-confidence.
4. Poor quality teaching.
5. Bad school management.
6. Poor parental upbringing.
7. Peer pressure.
8. Inadequate study materials.
9. High level of poverty.
10. Bad government practices.
11. Teacher's attitude to work.
12. Poor supervision.
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As you can see, all these factors can cause students to engage in examination malpractice in school.
However, I am going to explain some of these factors and how they impact examination malpractice in our schools today.
1. Fear of Failure
Many students engage in examination malpractices because they are afraid that they will fail the exams.
When they should spend quality time reading their notes they are panicking about the examination. The fear of failure is one of the major causes of illegal acts in exams today.
2. Laziness of Students
Yes, it is hundred per cent true that many students are very lazy in their academic careers.
They are lazy to read and study notes, do their home works and assignments, and carry out the tasks given to them by their teachers or lecturers.
Laziness will make any students go the extra mile (illegal ways) to pass exams.
3. Poor Parental Upbringing
You will agree with me that poor parental upbringing is one of the major causes of examination malpractice in Nigeria today.
Many parents do not have time to train their children in the right way because of work and busyness. And the parents who have the time to teach their children taught them in the wrong way.
Lack of proper home training has caused some students to engage in examination malpractices because they don't find anything wrong with it.
4. High Level of Poverty
Indeed, poverty makes some students engage in examination malpractices because education and schooling require parents to spend money on their children.
Some parents could not afford to buy textbooks, novels, and other necessary materials for their children. This leads to the students cheating in examinations.
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5. Bad Government Practices
The government is the body controlling the educational sector from nursery schools to tertiary institutions.
If the government engage in some bad practices, it will affect the education sector.
A corrupt government will produce corrupt officials. This will lead to students engaging in examination malpractices.
Why? Because teachers, lecturers, and education officials are involved in these illegal practices too.
6. Teacher's Attitude To Work
Here is another cause of examination malpractices many people are not talking about.
Teachers' bad attitude to work enhances the high rate of examination malpractices in Nigeria.
Some teachers or lecturers are indeed lazy to teach students in class as they ought to.
For instance, some teachers or lecturers have not covered the quarter (1/4) of the syllabus they are supposed to teach for a term or semester.
Yet they set out questions on every topic in the syllabus for the students in the exam. How do you expect them to pass? Some of the students will settle to cheat in exams.
Right now, you might be asking yourself if examination malpractices have effects on students?
Yes, it does. So, what are the effects of examination malpractices on students?
Effects Of Examination Malpractices On Students
Here, I have explained the 7 powerful effects of examination malpractice on students in another post.
Go here to read the article now - 7 Effects Of Examination Malpractices On Students
Now, that you've known what examination malpractice is, the causes, and the effects on students. Let's quickly check the solution to it.
Solutions To Examination Malpractices In Nigeria
What can we do to eliminate these illegal practices in Nigeria? Here are some of the solutions to eradicate the problem of examination malpractices in Nigeria:
1. Good Parental Upbringing
"Charity begins at home," they say. If we are going to eradicate examination malpractices, it must begin at home.
Parental upbringing contributes a lot to these illegal acts in exams.
So, it is the role of the parents to give their children proper home training and teach them against examination malpractices.
A student with solid home training will not engage in these improper activities in exams.
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2. Punishment of Students
Another practical and effective solution to examination malpractices in Nigeria is to punish students found engaging in any illegal acts during exams.
Other students will take caution when they know there is severe punishment for any illegal or misconduct during exams.
This will help to reduce examination malpractices gradually in schools today.
3. Good School Management
Good school management includes good quality teaching, good equipment and facilities, a conducive environment, adequate study materials, and so on.
This will help students pay more attention in class and be more serious with their studies.
4. Increment In The Salaries Of Teachers
Teachers and lecturers should be appreciated for their hard work and rewarded equally.
This will make them have the right attitude to work and carry out their duties accordingly.
Also, an increment in the salaries of teachers will reduce examination malpractices in Nigeria.
5. Government Should Encourage Education
The government has a role to play in eradicating examination malpractices in Nigeria.
The government should encourage and spend more on education. It should provide more facilities and equipment and other necessary things for schools.
Conclusion
Examination malpractice is very alarming in Nigeria. This act is reducing our national integrity and values.
The government, teachers, parents, and students have roles to play in eradicating these illegal acts in schools during exams.
