ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GOVERNMENT MEASURES FOR CONTROLLING EXAMINATION MALPRACTICES IN EBONYI STATE SECONDARYSCHOOLS.

ABSTRACT

The study was carried out to investigate assessment of the implementation of government measures for controlling examination malpractices in Ebonyi State secondary schools. The study made use of a descriptive survey research design. The population comprised principals and teachers in Ebonyi State public secondary schools. The sample size for the study was 600 respondents, comprising of the entire population of the principals and 396 teachers selected using simple random sampling technique. A researcher-developed questionnaire was the instrument for data collection. Three experts validated the instrument while cronbach alpha reliability method was employed to obtain the internal consistency estimate of the instrument. Four research questions and four hypotheses, tested at 0.05 level of significant guided the study. Mean and standard deviation were used to provide answer to the research questions while t-test statistic was adopted to test the four hypotheses. A review of literature and empirical studies was conducted to provide the researcher with the theoretical base for the study. A-25 item questionnaire on the assessment of the implementation of government measures for controlling examination malpractices was used to get information from the respondents. The items were rated on four point scale. The following findings were made. That court trials of officials caught aiding malpractices, principals and teachers to loose their jobs, ten years ban for schools and universities to reject students blacklisted for examination malpractices are to a great extent effective measures for controlling examination malpractices. Recruitment of job seekers to be based on knowledge and experience, forfeiting of retirement benefits by officials involved in malpractices and with holding as well as cancellation of candidates papers are also important measures by the government for controlling examination malpractices in the schools. That giving prizes to students who performed excellently in examination by the school authority will to a very great extent reduce the incidence of examination malpractices in the schools. Inculcation of reading culture, recognition of parents and guardians whose children exhibited outstanding discipline are effective motivational measures for controlling malpractices by the government. Other motivational measures include recognition and rewarding of officials and security agents that put up outstanding services and public orientation by school administrators to candidates on the effects of adequate preparation for examinations as well as ensuring good examination environment and proper conduct during examinations. Appointment of seasoned and experienced staff as supervisors, proper spacing in the hall as well as controlling the movement of both candidates and officials in the examination halls are adequate supervisory measures for controlling malpractices. Other supervisory measures are providing conveniences, netting examination hall windows and subject teachers not being allowed to supervise their subjects are also effective. The finding also identified handing over schools to the missions as a very effective religious measure for controlling examination malpractices among others.