Exploring the determinants of examination malpractice in among secondary school students in Delta State

Exploring the determinants of examination malpractice in among secondary school students in Delta State

ABSTRACT

This study explored the determinants of examination malpractice in among secondary school students in Delta State. Three research questions guided the study. Two Hypotheses were tested. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. The population of the study comprised of two hundred and forty-seven (247) teachers from the all the 13 public secondary schools in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State while sample of this study was one hundred (100) teachers from 10 public secondary schools in Oshimili North local government area drawn through Simple random sampling technique to serve as the representative of the entire population. The instrument used for data collection was a structured questionnaire titled “Exploring the determinants of examination malpractice in among secondary school students in Delta State.” A draft copy of the questionnaire was validated by a lecturer from Department of Educational Psychology and Counselling, Federal College of Education (Technical) Asaba. Permission was obtained from the management of the selected secondary schools before the distribution of questionnaire to the respondents. The researcher administered the 100 copies of the questionnaire to the selected public secondary school students in Oshimili South Local Government Area of Delta State and 95 copies were retrieved and analysed. Data collected was analysed using mean and standard deviation statistics. Hypothesis was tested using T-test.  The decision rule was that any item with a mean score of 2.50 and above was regarded to be in agreement with the item statement whereas any mean score less than or below 2.50 was deemed to be in disagreement with the item statement. Findings of the study revealed among others that there are primary factors that influence students’ cheating behaviour in examination and academic pressure plays a significant role in encouraging cheating behaviour during examination in Secondary Schools in Delta State. It was recommended based on the findings that secondary school managements should ensure frequent assessments reduce, enforcement of consequences for cheating and encouraging students to develop good reading habits to reduce examination malpractice, among others.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Through education, learners are not only taught, trained, and adequately guided to acquire relevant skills and knowledge but also taught how to adapt to acceptable societal life. To some people, education is seen as a means of overcoming handicaps, achieving greater equality, and acquiring wealth and status for all (Udim, Abubakar & Essien, 2015). Illiteracy has recently become a focus of national concern (Wilkins, 2018). Malpractice in the field of education is a cankerworm that is fast draining the entire world and making education to lost its value, as well as certificates since people who are not able to construct complete sentences in their fields of studies move around with varying certificates (Baku 2019). When students attend an individual school system for many years, subsequently graduating and entering the work force as functional illiterates, the implications of illiteracy suggest the presence of some serious flaws in the educational systems. Compulsory school attendance laws and the great expenditures for education both demonstrate our recognition of the importance of education to our democratic society. The quest for worth and avoidance of shame in the name of being referred to as ‘illiterates’ is causing an increase in the rate of examination malpractices as every individual once to hold key positions in the society, and one of the conditions for it is to show proof of having passed an exams. It is the very foundation of good citizenship. Today it is a principle instrument in awakening the child to cultural values, in preparing him for later professional training, and in helping him to adjust normally to his environment. In these days, it is doubtful that any child may reasonably be expected to succeed in life if he is denied the opportunity of an education. Education is a necessary process through which young adults are equipped to lead productive lives according to their talents and interests (Akaranga & Ongong, 2018). The strongest form of educational malpractice is manifested in examinations. Examination malpractice is very evident in most educational systems, ranging from primary to secondary, and to university education.

Examination is a yardstick to measure students’ performance and achievement based on specifically defined objectives. Examination could be internal, external or both as the case may be. The internal examinations conducted in our secondary schools today are: continuous assessment tests, terminal, annual or promotional examination. The external examinations are on the other hand, conducted by West African Examination Council and National Examination Council respectively. The examinations conducted by these examination bodies ranged from admission/entrance examinations to certificate examinations. Since examination whether oral, written or both is almost the only way of eliciting the extent required objective is learnt, or the extent one possesses required aptitude, attitude or intelligence in a particular area of interest, it ought to be done with every form of carefulness in order to remove intending irregularities. Examination has been viewed in different ways by different authors, educationists and researchers. According to Kailani and Usman (2019), 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 (2019), 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 (2019) 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 (2016), 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.

Nwahunanye (2014) 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 (2014) 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.

Examination misconduct in the hall can take the form of giraffine / peeping from another person’s examination papers, writing on the palms, desks and piece of papers, smuggling of examination halls and so on and so forth. Outside the halls, the misconduct can take the shape of sorting of the already written examinations either through the teachers or their agents. This cankerworm has eaten deep into the fabrics of the Nigerian educational system; thereby, rending our educational institutions hopeless. They are so unbecoming that if nothing is done and no time too, our secondary school education and other levels of education will be mess.

Commenting on the issue of examination misconduct, Sumnoh (2017), remarks that government is the major cause of examination malpractice. He went further to describe the government salary system as just staving wages cities an example with the secondary school teachers. He said that if teachers were well paid, they would see no reason to aid or be involved in examination malpractice. One is not saying here that high salary and allowances will totally stop examination malpractice, it will help to curb it. However, it is pointless dragging the argument as to who is responsible for the cases of examination malpractice in our secondary schools. It is equally illogical to think that one particular group, whether students, teachers, government or the society can solve the problem of examination misconduct in our secondary schools. Those who are concerned, directly or indirectly with the educational system should share the responsibility of curbing the menace of examination misconduct in our secondary schools and other levels of education. It is not that nothing has been done on the issue of examination malpractice. The history of examination misconduct in Nigeria is quite old. The problem assumed a national character in 1967. Then a committee was set up to carry out an investigation into the explosion of examination malpractice that year. Also decree No. 25 of 1993 on examination leakage imposes a penalty of five (5) years imprisonment or an option of two thousand naira fine on any person found guilty in connection with examination leakage. Despite this, examination malpractice is still being witnessed and practiced. Its fruits are educated illiterate undergraduates.

Examination malpractice is very possibly the most significant obstacle confronted by Nigeria’s educational system at the present time. Students, exam administrators, tutors, parents, and other parties have devised ways to benefit from the vice, which has resulted in a wide variety of unintended consequences. No one can claim to have all the solutions to the eradication of examination malpractice in Nigeria, but the writer believes strongly that the following suggestions will curtail malpractice to the barest minimum. Obed (2021) asserted that examination malpractice can be curbed if: Teachers and consumers help students to develop a sensitive self-concept and value orientation of themselves to abhor examination malpractice. Government, School Educational Board and non-governmental organizations should assist in providing schools with necessary learning facilities to improve upon the present teaching/learning situation. This will go a long way to helping the less privileged students. Teachers and counselors should identify strategies of reducing test anxiety by giving frequent tests to students as this may reduce malpractice behaviours during examination. Parents should not encourage malpractice behaviour among students by sponsoring them financially. School authorities should ensure that teachers perform their duties effectively to avoid students’ involvement in examination malpractice (Olaniyi, 2018). Dedicated teachers/students on examination ethics maters should be identified and re-warded accordingly. There is need to re-emphasis continuous assessment in our secondary schools as it is predicated on the belief that several samples of an individual test records will give a better aggregate of individual students than a one sample or a few samples only would give. Besides, continuous assessment helps to check the incidence of examination malpractice, tremendous anxiety and nervousness in students during examinations. Examination ethics code of conduct should be produced and distributed in schools and education offices. This should spell out duties and responsibilities as well as penalties needed for the conduct of examination in our secondary schools. Examination ethics clubs should also be formed in our secondary schools.

In order to ameliorate the incidence of examination misconduct, and in fact, improve the standard of our secondary school education, it is necessary to unveil the modus operandi and multifarious strategies adopted by the perpetrators of this unwholesome and un-academic act and alert students of the ugly effects, academically and other wise. The awareness will help the authorities to check the current pervasiveness of examination malpractice in our secondary schools and other institutions of higher learning. Hence the need to explore the determinants of examination malpractice among secondary school students in Delta State.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The practice of Examination malpractice makes the decisions made on such results to affect the society at large where wrong people may be selected for job placements, training programs, advancement for further studies and also in employment while the highly deserving people get let out for not involving themselves in such deviant behavior. Cheating in the exam have led to the cancellation of the results for the respective students who have been found to have cheated and hence such a student may have wasted the four years in high school. The practice of examination malpractice also makes the public to lose faith and hope in national examination and further question the examination body for failure to execute its mandate of providing credible examination to the public. The parents for such students on the other hand may have struggled to raise the fees for such students only for the results to be cancelled and they may feel that their energy might have been wasted in raising of the fees for their children. Examination malpractices have also discouraged the students from working hard in school since a short cut to getting good grades is available. This has also demotivated the students hence bringing about a culture of laziness in the secondary schools.

It is against this backdrop that this study is carried out explore the determinants of examination malpractice among secondary school students in Delta State.

1.3 Aims and Objectives of the Study

The purpose of this study is to explore the determinants of cheating in examination among secondary school students. The specific objective is to:

1. examine the primary factor that influence students’ cheating behaviour.
2. Find out if academic pressure plays a role in encouraging cheating behaviour during examination.
3. Investigate possible solution to curb cheating during examination.

1.4 Research Questions

The following questions were raised to guide the study:

1. What are the primary factors that influence students’ cheating behaviour in examination?
2. Does academic pressure play a significant role in encouraging cheating behaviour during examination?
3. What are the possible solutions to curb cheating during examination?

1.5 Hypotheses

1. Academic pressure does not have a significant influence on students’ cheating behaviour during examination.
2. The possible solution to curb students’ cheating behaviour during examination does not significate influence on learning outcome.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The imperativeness of this study cannot be underrated. The study will be of high significance in that it will help the following categories of people in the following ways:

The students: This study will serve as an eye opener to the students in knowing the negative effects/consequences of involving oneself the act of examination malpractice.

The teachers: This research work will serve as information to the teachers on existing forms of examination malpractice / misconduct practiced by students as well as ways of controlling them. Some lecturers are no longer dedicated to their school time table. Some deliver half-baked lessons. They leave their notes for students to copy. Such students copy whatever and hand it back to the teacher who does not care whether students understand the content of the lesson or not. No students want to fail. They therefore seek for means to succeed. These students therefore engage themselves in various forms of examination malpractice.

Education Authorities: The teachers, the authorities will benefit immensely from this study as it will help keep them informed on the recent techniques involved in examination malpractice causes and at the same time open their eyes to the need to. School authorities on their own part do not help matters. Inability of the school authority to provide adequate facilities such as seats, electricity etc., hinder learning. A situation whereby six cluster on a seat meant for three students is just unhealthy for smooth examination.

The government: Our government would not be left out in the list of the beneficiaries of this study. The research work will help the government to see reasons why trained and qualified teachers should be recruited into our secondary schools, why seminars and workshops should be organized by the government for the teachers to enable update their knowledge.

The society/parents: This study will in no small measure assist parents and the society at large in knowing what their children and wards do in school and thus, see ways of assisting them to learn and concentrate more on their studies and depend less on external studies help during examination. Most parents and guardians do not provide the basic materials needed by their wards. Many students in our secondary schools do not have textbooks, writing materials etc. It is a well-known fact that lack of needed necessary educational materials, make learning difficult let alone examination preparation.

It is of great importance to note that at the completion of this research work various secondary schools, communities, towns, states and Nigeria in general will find the result of this research work to be beneficial to great extent. It would play an essential role in the standard of education and in the task of economic growth and development. The significance of this study is to reveal the depth into which examination malpractice has plunged in our secondary schools, most especially in Delta State. It is also to discover the forms, causes, consequences and permanent cure or permanent solution to the problem.

1.7 Scope/Delimitation of the Study

This study is aimed at explore the determinants of examination malpractice among secondary school students in Delta State. With particular emphasis on primary factors, academic pressure and possible solutions to examination malpractice. The respondents of the study will be public secondary school teachers in Oshimili South Local Government Area of Delta State.

1.8 Area of the Study

The study was carried out in Oshimili South Local Government Area of Delta State. The local government is one of the 25 local government areas of Delta state. The study area is a home to private, faith-based and public secondary schools. The Local Government Area has a thick population of secondary school students with 13 public secondary schools. The high presence of public secondary school students makes the Local Government Area a suitable area for this study.

1.9 Definition of Terms

Examination: Examinations are formal assessments or tests that evaluate a person’s knowledge, skills, or abilities in a particular subject or area of study. They are commonly used in education systems around the world to measure a student’s understanding of the material taught in a course.

Malpractice: This can be described as misconduct, usually contrary to set moral norms. It is a term commonly used in the context of various professions and fields to describe improper, negligent, or unethical conduct by individuals who are licensed or certified to practice in a particular profession.

Examination malpractice: This refers to test abuses that can be perpetuated by either those taking an exam or those giving/ setting the tests. Examination malpractice refers to dishonest or unethical actions that individuals may engage in during exams or tests to gain an unfair advantage or manipulate their results. It is a serious issue in educational systems worldwide and can take various forms.

Secondary School: Secondary school is an educational institution that follows primary or elementary education and precedes higher education, such as college or university.

Pages: 103

Category: Project

Format:  Word & PDF         

Chapters: 1-5                                 

Source: Imsuinfo

Material contains Table of Content, Abstract and References.