 |
| Photo Credit: Tosindeda |
The main
objective of our education is to equip students with relevant knowledge and
skills to enable them contribute effectively to national development. This training
demands periodic assessment and evaluation in the form of test and examination
in order to determine the level of knowledge and competence of students.
However, over dependents
on certificates as a perquisite for employment have led to a crazy rush by most
people to acquire these certificates fraudulently, leading to examination
malpractice. Examination halls and their vicinities have become the arena for
gross misconduct in many institutions of learning.
What
then is examination malpractice?
In my own view,
I see examination malpractice as a cankerworm that is sucking our precious educational
system. I can define it as a situation where students cut corners to pass
examination.
The occurrence of
examination malpractice is at an alarming rate. These amazing cheating techniques
are usually put in place before, during or after examination by candidates ably
aided by their accomplices. These ugly trend advances from simple ‘giraffing’
to a more sophisticated methods such as ‘expo’, micro chips, brain support to mention but a
few and they emanate whenever and wherever examination takes place.
Examination
malpractices have made the conduct of examination more difficult and make it difficult
to determine the knowledge of students which the main purpose of the organised
test. Examination malpractice hinders academic development and growth of the
individual and the society.
Psychological
Effects of Exams Malpractice
This ugly trend
has a serious detrimental effect on the psychological state of our present day
learners. Most students now engage in
all forms of activities just to pass an examination. Many students believe that
they can’t just do it on their own. They lack self confidence. Students feel that
there is no need working hard as their efforts in school are somehow not rewarded
equitably by their evaluators for one reason or the other.
Causes
of Examination malpractices
Laziness: most students don’t prepare
well for their examination. They do not attend classes either or do their
homework. They wait until the examination time table is out before they start
reading for the exams.
Fear: most students fear a lot. Some
even fear the result more than the exams itself. This has made some of them to
lack self esteems and motivation to tackle the exam questions.
Parental
influence: Most
parents and guardians directly or indirectly encourage their wards to involve
in examination malpractices. They involve indirectly by influencing their
children’s choice of course as against their capability. For instance, just
because he or his friend is a medical doctor, he will want to do everything
possible for his son to become a doctor, meanwhile the child might do better in
engineering. Others directly go with their wards to the examination centres
like JAMB to help them in various ways in securing high grade. They do a lot
more you can imagine
Lecturers/Teachers: Some lecturers frustrate
students so much as a result of one reason or the other or as a result of outright
wickedness. Some teachers don’t impart much knowledge to the students since
some of them might have had their qualifications through various malpractices.
So, the system becomes saturated with hoodlums, thus, making the issue a more
complex one to tackle. Teachers do not even create time to teach in classrooms
as they go about their own businesses instead of doing what he/she was paid to
do.
Who
has been responsible for this occurrence?
Of course, you will agree with me that the
cause of this problem has its root to humans. No doubt, involvement in these
vices cuts across a large section of the society – young, old, rich, poor,
lamest and funny enough, lamest are got entangled in this matter. I want to
categorize them in three folds; (1) the students, (2) the parents and (3) the
teachers as well as school administrators. Examination malpractice cuts across
all tiers and stages of education.
The major reason
why it thrives in our locality can be attributed to the deplorable valuesystems where one finds that cheating, embezzlement of public funds and
properties do not attract condemnation and punishment they deserve.
The effort of
government, though commendable, the nonchalant society of Nigeria and indeed
direct support and influence of both parents and guardians have not solved
matters.
How
then can examination malpractice be eradicated?
Parents, society
and the government need to assume and perform their roles properly. The
students themselves are not left out. Making hare while the sun shines may just
be a right path and perhaps proper moral offering or seminar and less dependent
on certificate for employment may be the necessary follow up. We should try and learn the value of truthfulness in our society.
Efforts to build
the students’ self confidence should be promoted and encouraged. You the students,
believe you can do it on your own. The time you spent trying to write or
produce the micro chip that you are planning to smuggle into the exam hall is a
huge time you should use to revise your work and understand better. Use that
time to discuss with your classmate. Use that time to do some form of tutorial.
The knowledge you gain from this will be establish in your brain and you will
be able to pass your examination no mater how tough it is.
Please note that
passing exams does not stop in getting the certificate. You will be required to
demonstrate what you learned in your workplace when you are employed.
We encourage the reproduction of this material, but ask that you credit
the Fertile Nigeria: http://fertilenigeria.blogspot.com/
If you have
comments, feedback or questions, kindly drop it at the comment section below
|
Get free daily email updates! |
Follow us! 
|
0 comments:
Post a Comment