FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR EXAMINATION MALPRACTICE IN NIGERIA: A CASE STUDY OF THE FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, UNIVERSITY OF BENIN, BENIN CITY

ABSTRACT

The study is all about the factor responsible for examination malpractice in Nigeria, a case study of the faculty of social sciences, University of Benin was used, and during the process of research the researcher was able to carry out a study which start by saying that examination malpractice exists in secondary school, university under graduate programme etc. most students are conversant with the issues of examination malpractice and the various form of examination malpractices that occurs in our schools. Most student who cheat in competitive examinations like the university matriculation examination (UME) do so because they believe that the exam is a diicult one. If students perceive that the competitive examinations would be diicult, they then develop nervousness before the examinations and do everything possible to pass, including cheating. Also, the reason behind this studies was that I felt it mandatory for everyone within the society at large to be conversant with the syndrome “which is” examination malpractice that has sowed an evil seed in the heart of the individual society, if care is not taken, this syndrome will endanger the citizenry at large. The population of this research consists of 486 students in the department of political science at the university of Benin, and the sample of the study that is used is a total number of 100 students which were randomly selected from the four level of the department of political science which comprises 100 level to 400 level. The instrument used for data collection was a questionnaire. The questionnaire was validated by the project supervisor.

The reliability of instrument was tested using a test-retest and the statistics used was simple percentage. The major findings was that most students who cheat in competitive examination like the university matriculation examination (UME) do so because they believe that the competitive examination would be diicult, they then develop nervousness before the examination and do everything to pass, including cheating. Also, a large sample of the students agreed that they would engage in examination malpractice due to emphasis placed on high quality certificates in Nigeria.

Nigerian are certificate freaks as shown by a large sample of people who embrace a first class graduate or a high flyer in academic. Most student would do anything in order to get these super certificates, to remain in an upper league in society. The major recommendations was that the legal control of examination malpractice should enact a law as to curtail the total eradication of exam malpractice. In order to reduce cases of impersonation, which is one of the major types of examination malpractices, government should immediately commence the implementation of its plan of embossing the passport philosophy of candidates in its certificates. Government at all levels, should provide adequate funds and functional instructional affaid and effective teaching materials to the teachers. Also, there should be regular monitoring teams otherwise known as inspectors from ministry of education of each state to visit each school for continuity assessment of teaching that deserve praises are rewarded immediately.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

One of the greatest threats to the validity of examinations, the authenticity of the certificate issued and the reliability of the products of the Nigerian educational system is the prevalence of examination malpractices. Examination malpractices in Nigeria can be traced to 1914 when the senior Cambridge local examination leaked. This was even before the university of Benin was set up. It can therefore be argued that examination malpractices do not constitute a new phenomenon in Nigeria. Examination malpractice constitute two concepts i.e. examination and malpractice. Examination could be defined as to give somebody a test to see how much he/she knows about a subject while “malpractice means careless or wrongs or illegal behavior”. Therefore, examination malpractices is defined as an illegal act or behavior while sitting for an examination. Examination leakages cheating, impersonation certificate forgery etc, can be classified as examination. Malpractices since any candidate who indulges in any of these does so to have an undue advantage over other candidates.

Examination malpractice is a phenomenon that has almost crept into virtually every faced of our society. Right from the primary school to the university level and it is even more in the university this days. Examination malpractice is not peculiar to university of Benin alone, it is a national phenomenon which has reduced the quality of a certificate that are obtainable in the Nigerian educational system. It has been a disturbing development over the years, in which the stake holders in the educational system could not provide a clue to the problem of examination malpractice. It is disheartening to note the wave of malpractices sweeping across the entire educational system. Examination malpractice can be classified as follows: Classified as follows Cheating copying from cribs, textbooks, notebooks, swapping of scripts, collusion, electronic device means of cheating etc. Smuggling of worked scripts into the examination room.