ST. PHILEMON'S CORNER

    By definition, Examination Malpractice is a careless, illegal or unacceptable behavior by a candidate in a formal test of his knowledge or ability in a particular subject. According to this definition therefore, examination malpractice can only be attributed to a candidate under examination. The situation however, unfortunately has extended beyond the candidates writing examination and cut across examiners, examination bodies and stakeholders. Everyone in these circles has been corrupted in one way or the other regarding the issue of examination malpractice.

    Examination malpractice appears to have defiled all solutions in Nigeria. The problem is seen at every level of our education system. And this is in spite of the efforts made by the authorities and others to solve the problems. (Exam Cheats in Our Colleges; The Tide Online; Sunday, July 23, 2006).

    In a statement by Executive Chairman of the Exam Ethic Projects “the crisis of examination malpractice in our education system is the most serious ethical problem facing Nigeria today. It is more serious than contract fraud, advanced fee fraud, bank fraud, election rigging, e.t.c because it is the mother of all other types of fraud and corruption.” He further noted that the incessant strikes called by University Unions like Academics Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), also encourages examination malpractices in all levels of education in Nigeria, as students are not allowed enough time to prepare for exams. This, he said leads to the situation whereby students look for easy way out.

    In Nigeria today, most especially in Lagos State, exam malpractice have become order of the day forming part of norms of the society. Students who purchase forms for any of the examination at any designation outlets are seen as odd in the society. Whereas others would rather purchase theirs from the so-called special centres, where success is guaranteed based on the malpractices that will be engaged in. the increasing emergence of tutorial centres aid and abet examination malpractice and cheating in the state. The owners (proprietors) perpetrate evils to the point of sitting an examination for their students without realizing that education cannot be acquired through cheating.

    Government in its various means to eradicate these corrupt practised revealed last year that examination malpractice is responsible for the cancellation of so many results by examination bodies in Nigeria, and also responsible for the loss of over N1 million annually to the country.

    This corrupt practice is also responsible for such social malpractice by incompetent doctors, manufacture and sales of fake drugs by pharmacists, collapse of buildings built by architects and engineers, massive fraud in the banks, miscarriage of justice e.t.c. (Naija Post News; National News; July 28, 2003).

    However, series of strategic steps are still being taken everyday by government and non-governmental organizations to stop this unethical practices across our nation. In view of this, the management of River State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt (in 20067) threatened to sack lecturers who demand sex or money from students to award undeserved marks and those who engaged in examination malpractice known as “Sorting” would lose their jobs, if caught. (The Tides Online; Thursday, July20,2006).

    In the meantime, because of the alarming rate of examination malpractice in the country, the Lagos state government last year banned the operation of all tutorial centres in the state. They accused the centres of aiding examination malpractice and cheating in the state. (The Tide Online; Exam Cheat In Our Colleges, July 23, 2006). However they still exist and carry out their corrupt practices.

    In a related development various programmes are being scheduled across the country to orient candidates sitting examinations on dangers of being caught cheating in the examination.