CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
The education system is the instrument a society uses to equip all its people to live productive lives and full personal life according to their talent and interest. This system must be such that gifted individuals have full opportunity to develop their skills; it must give scope for the training of a leadership group and at the same time provide for the development of all the vocational abilities needed for the creation of a progressive and democratic society.
Examination is the pivotal around which the whole system of education revolves and the success of failure of the system of examination is indeed an indicator of the success or failure of that particular system of
education. It would be pertinent to examine the present system of examination with a view to determine as a whether it actually serves the purpose it purports to serve. The two basic assumptions of any examination worth the name are that (a) it should be valid and (b) it should b reliable. They are distinct concepts. An examination is said to be valid if it performs the functions which it is designed to perform. The concept of reliability, of course, refers to sentiency of measurement. In actual fact, the prevailing system of examination and it mode of conduct defy both these assumption. The system has degenerated to an extent that its validity and reliability are questionable. Examination is no longer regarded as a test for evaluating the performance or judging the scholastic attainment of students. The reason being that there is a complete breakdown of the whole system of examination, almost all over the country and at all level of education. Examination is also a formal way of testing somebody’s knowledge or ability in a particular subject, especially by means of answering questions or practical exercises. It is also seen as the process through which students are evaluated they have acquired within a specified period. Examination could be internal or external. It could be oral, written or both.
Nigeria education system like any other country has problems, lapses, controversies and issues. Many problems confront Nigeria educational system and institutions. Prominent among them is the issue of examination malpractice.
Examination malpractice according to (Joshua, Edet and Obo, 2011.) is a conduct that violates the acceptable laid down rules and regulations of Nigerian Institution. On the other hand, examination malpractice is any wrong doing before, during or after any examination. Although this problem has been there long ago, the current trend is alarming and calls for urgent and pragmatic solutions to save the nation most important sector.
Alute and Alnede (2006) gave it, that this increasing incidence of examination malpractice by student conflict with the core purpose of education that is, practical training and acquisition of theoretical skills knowledge and functional ideals for development as well as the creation and communication of ideas.
Examination malpractice is as old as the Western educational itself (Kpangban et al, 2008). The issue of examination malpractice is a big scandal in Nigeria (Oniyama and Oniyama, 2006). Although a lot of efforts are being made both by government, institutions organization even individuals. The war is far from being won (Badmus, 2006).
The history of Examination malpractice in Nigeria is not recent (Kpangban et al, 2008). It dates back to the colonial era. The first incidence of examination malpractice in Nigeria was reported in 1914, when there was a leakage of question paper in the Senior Cambridge Examination since then the incidence of examination malpractice has been on the increase and yearly reported.
The conspicuous years reported include; 1963, 1967. 1970, 1973, 1977, 1979, 1985, 1991, 1994, 1995, 19996, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003 (Olaope, 1994, West African Examination Council 2004; Alute and Alnede, 2006 and Kpangban et al, 2008)
Examination malpractice is any activity of a student or group of students whose purpose is to give any of them higher grades than they would likely receive on the basis of their own achievement (Oniye and Alawale, 2008).
Fatal (2005) defined examination malpractice as an irregular act with the conduct of examination which is clearly a breach of the rules governing the conduct and integrity of the examination.
The forms means and strategies employed in carrying examination malpractice are varied and numerous (Eze and Ezeani (1991); Dare, 1994, Wollhem, 1996; and West African Examination Council, 2005).
1. Candidate bringing books and scribes into the examination hall.
2. Insulting or assaulting any supervisor or invigilator.
3. Allotment of choice examination centre
4. Appointment of choice invigilating staff.
5. Leaking information about question papers, identification of invigilating staff and paper setter/examiners.
6. Bribing, influencing, terrorizing examination staff, invigilators and paper setters and examiners.
7. Possessing cheating material (written/printed/electronic device e.t.c) or copying from such material e.t.c
Students are known to be very desperate and can do anything to achieve their objectives of cheating in examination. The battle against examination malpractice in Nigeria is far from seeing loon because of the caliber of people involved. Studies by Alutu and Aluede 2006 and Kpangban et al, 2008 indicated that; students parents, guardians, school’s management and administrators and their staff, ministry officers and examination officers are all involved in examining malpractice.
Aliyu, Aluede and Alute, 2007; Alutu and Aluede, 2006, Eze and Ezean 1991 and Denge 1993 all agreed that the central factors responsible for the hydra healed examination malpractice in this country, is our orientation and value we place on certificates. The societies see certificate as means for good job which will eventually give good life.
To this end, parents, relations, lecturers tend to push their wards and students.
(Kpangban et al, 2008). The damage examination malpractice has done and is still doing to our educational system in better imagined than told. The most painful of all the damages is the very poor rating of our educational system in the League of Nations. It has eroded the confidence the Local Society and in the nature community have on our educational system. This has culminated in subjecting Nigerian graduates seeking admission for post-graduate studies in some countries to write qualifying examination before admission (Kpangban et al 2008). The mainstay of this study therefore, is to examine the causes, effects and way forward of Examination Malpractice among secondary school students in Isoko South.
Historical Background of the Isoko People
The Isoko People inhabit the era enclosed, roughly by Longitude 605 and 6025, East and Latitude 5015 and 5040’ North in the Delta State of Nigeria. The area is made up of eleven clans. The term “clans” is being used after Ikieme (1972) to mean a socio-political unit made up of individuals who claim descent through the male line to a common ancestor, who is the father of the clan, who clans are Aviara, Emevor, Enhwe, Erohwa, Igbide, Iyede, Okpe (Ozoro), Olomoro, Owhe. Umeh and Uzere. The Isoko People are found mainly in Isoko North and South Local Government Area of Delta State. The Isoko country is thus bounded on the North by the Ukwani people, in the East by the Ase River, in the West by the Urhobos and in the South Ijaws.
The Isoko country falls within the ever green forest belt of South Nigeria and it is a part of what is known as the oil palm belt of Nigeria. One of the earliest writers about the Isoko people Hubbards (2000) states that the outstanding physical features of the Isoko country are two main swamp systems. The Bethel and Owhe Swamp systems running rougly N.N.E and S.S.W. These areas are subject to annual flooding from the creeks that flow into the Niger River. The main occupation of Isoko people is farming, fishing and oil palm collecting.
According to Ikime (1972), the Isoko clans fall into two groups of migration:
1. Those that trace their Origin to Benin as Aviara, Emevor, Iyede, Okpe, Owhe and Uzere; and
2. Those that trace their Origin to Ibo Land as Enhwe and Umeh.
This leaves out the three clans of Erohwa, Igbide and Olomoro. The Erowha people claim that they are the oldest clan in Isoko Land and this is generally accepted by other clans. They reject Benin Origin and claim that they have always been there that is, an aboriginal group in Isoko Land. The founder of Igbide, Eru, is believed to have originally moved from Benin to Akwa in Anambra State and late through the Niger of Igbide. Olomoro is the only clan that has Urhobo Origin, being founded by three brothers who where sons of Gbose, the founder of the Olomu clan in the Urhobo land. The clans with Ibo Origin, Enhwe and Umeh, insist that their ancestors were the River Niger Ibos. Umeh clan, for example, is said to have been founded by a migration from the Aboh speaking village of Onya.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
This study emanated from the noticed huge losses incurred annually by schools, parents, government, examination bodies and students as a result of Examination malpractices hundreds of thousands of students. Many awarded to undeserving students. Many innocent students are punished unjustly as a result of mass cheating. Students become frustrated in life especially in the secondary school level as they are expelled from school as a result of Examination malpractice.
The damage it has done to our education is grave and then calls for urgent steps to redress the situation.
The situation calls for giving to the root causes of the problem before the remedy can be found. The option left among others is to investigate the teachers and students perceived causes, effects and remedies of examination malpractice in our Secondary School in Nigeria.
The problem of this study therefore is Examination Malpractice the causes, effects and way forward in Secondary School in Isoko South of Delta State.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of this study is to investigate or examine the course, effects and way forward of examination malpractice in Secondary School in Isoko South in Delta State. Various methods employed by students as well as the roles by teachers, parents, Secondary School authorities and the society at large.
1.4 Research Questions
1. What is the perception of teachers on the causes of examination malpractice among Secondary School?
2. What is the perception of students on the causes of exam malpractice in among Secondary Students in Isoko South?
3. What is the perception of teachers and students on the causes of exam malpractice in Isoko South
4. What is the perception of students on the effects of exam malpractice among Secondary Students in Isoko
5. What is the minds of teachers on the remedies of malpractice
Hypothesis
The following hypotheses were draw or formulated to guide this study;
1. There is no significance consequence between students who engaged in examination malpractice and those who do not in James Welch Grammar School in Isoko South.
2. There is no significant contribution of teachers to the major problem of examination malpractice in James Welch Grammar School in school Isoko South.
3. Unconducive Learning environment does not lead or propel James Welch Grammar School
4. Inadequate provision of instructional materials does not push students into examination malpractice.
1.5 Significance of the Study
It is of great importance to note that at the completion of this research work, various Secondary Schools Communities, towns, State and Nigeria in general will find the result of this research work to be beneficial to a great extent, this research work would play an essential role in the standard of education and in the task of economic growth and development. The result from this research work will also provide an ample opportunity for parents to be aware of what role they must play in order to prevent their children from being engaged in examination malpractice. The significant of this study is to reveal the depth at which examination malpractice or misconduct have eaten deep into the fabric of our Secondary schools (most especially in James Welch Grammar Secondary in Isoko South of Delta State), to discover the forms, causes, consequences and permanent cure or solution to the problem of causes and consequences of examination misconduct or malpractice. Also students been enlighten will then preserve the norms and value of the society and the ethics of examination.
1.6 Scope of Study
This research work covers only Secondary Schools in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State and it deals with examination practice the causes, effect and way forward.
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
The education system is the instrument a society uses to equip all its people to live productive lives and full personal life according to their talent and interest. This system must be such that gifted individuals have full opportunity to develop their skills; it must give scope for the training of a leadership group and at the same time provide for the development of all the vocational abilities needed for the creation of a progressive and democratic society.
Examination is the pivotal around which the whole system of education revolves and the success of failure of the system of examination is indeed an indicator of the success or failure of that particular system of
education. It would be pertinent to examine the present system of examination with a view to determine as a whether it actually serves the purpose it purports to serve. The two basic assumptions of any examination worth the name are that (a) it should be valid and (b) it should b reliable. They are distinct concepts. An examination is said to be valid if it performs the functions which it is designed to perform. The concept of reliability, of course, refers to sentiency of measurement. In actual fact, the prevailing system of examination and it mode of conduct defy both these assumption. The system has degenerated to an extent that its validity and reliability are questionable. Examination is no longer regarded as a test for evaluating the performance or judging the scholastic attainment of students. The reason being that there is a complete breakdown of the whole system of examination, almost all over the country and at all level of education. Examination is also a formal way of testing somebody’s knowledge or ability in a particular subject, especially by means of answering questions or practical exercises. It is also seen as the process through which students are evaluated they have acquired within a specified period. Examination could be internal or external. It could be oral, written or both.
Nigeria education system like any other country has problems, lapses, controversies and issues. Many problems confront Nigeria educational system and institutions. Prominent among them is the issue of examination malpractice.
Examination malpractice according to (Joshua, Edet and Obo, 2011.) is a conduct that violates the acceptable laid down rules and regulations of Nigerian Institution. On the other hand, examination malpractice is any wrong doing before, during or after any examination. Although this problem has been there long ago, the current trend is alarming and calls for urgent and pragmatic solutions to save the nation most important sector.
Alute and Alnede (2006) gave it, that this increasing incidence of examination malpractice by student conflict with the core purpose of education that is, practical training and acquisition of theoretical skills knowledge and functional ideals for development as well as the creation and communication of ideas.
Examination malpractice is as old as the Western educational itself (Kpangban et al, 2008). The issue of examination malpractice is a big scandal in Nigeria (Oniyama and Oniyama, 2006). Although a lot of efforts are being made both by government, institutions organization even individuals. The war is far from being won (Badmus, 2006).
The history of Examination malpractice in Nigeria is not recent (Kpangban et al, 2008). It dates back to the colonial era. The first incidence of examination malpractice in Nigeria was reported in 1914, when there was a leakage of question paper in the Senior Cambridge Examination since then the incidence of examination malpractice has been on the increase and yearly reported.
The conspicuous years reported include; 1963, 1967. 1970, 1973, 1977, 1979, 1985, 1991, 1994, 1995, 19996, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003 (Olaope, 1994, West African Examination Council 2004; Alute and Alnede, 2006 and Kpangban et al, 2008)
Examination malpractice is any activity of a student or group of students whose purpose is to give any of them higher grades than they would likely receive on the basis of their own achievement (Oniye and Alawale, 2008).
Fatal (2005) defined examination malpractice as an irregular act with the conduct of examination which is clearly a breach of the rules governing the conduct and integrity of the examination.
The forms means and strategies employed in carrying examination malpractice are varied and numerous (Eze and Ezeani (1991); Dare, 1994, Wollhem, 1996; and West African Examination Council, 2005).
1. Candidate bringing books and scribes into the examination hall.
2. Insulting or assaulting any supervisor or invigilator.
3. Allotment of choice examination centre
4. Appointment of choice invigilating staff.
5. Leaking information about question papers, identification of invigilating staff and paper setter/examiners.
6. Bribing, influencing, terrorizing examination staff, invigilators and paper setters and examiners.
7. Possessing cheating material (written/printed/electronic device e.t.c) or copying from such material e.t.c
Students are known to be very desperate and can do anything to achieve their objectives of cheating in examination. The battle against examination malpractice in Nigeria is far from seeing loon because of the caliber of people involved. Studies by Alutu and Aluede 2006 and Kpangban et al, 2008 indicated that; students parents, guardians, school’s management and administrators and their staff, ministry officers and examination officers are all involved in examining malpractice.
Aliyu, Aluede and Alute, 2007; Alutu and Aluede, 2006, Eze and Ezean 1991 and Denge 1993 all agreed that the central factors responsible for the hydra healed examination malpractice in this country, is our orientation and value we place on certificates. The societies see certificate as means for good job which will eventually give good life.
To this end, parents, relations, lecturers tend to push their wards and students.
(Kpangban et al, 2008). The damage examination malpractice has done and is still doing to our educational system in better imagined than told. The most painful of all the damages is the very poor rating of our educational system in the League of Nations. It has eroded the confidence the Local Society and in the nature community have on our educational system. This has culminated in subjecting Nigerian graduates seeking admission for post-graduate studies in some countries to write qualifying examination before admission (Kpangban et al 2008). The mainstay of this study therefore, is to examine the causes, effects and way forward of Examination Malpractice among secondary school students in Isoko South.
Historical Background of the Isoko People
The Isoko People inhabit the era enclosed, roughly by Longitude 605 and 6025, East and Latitude 5015 and 5040’ North in the Delta State of Nigeria. The area is made up of eleven clans. The term “clans” is being used after Ikieme (1972) to mean a socio-political unit made up of individuals who claim descent through the male line to a common ancestor, who is the father of the clan, who clans are Aviara, Emevor, Enhwe, Erohwa, Igbide, Iyede, Okpe (Ozoro), Olomoro, Owhe. Umeh and Uzere. The Isoko People are found mainly in Isoko North and South Local Government Area of Delta State. The Isoko country is thus bounded on the North by the Ukwani people, in the East by the Ase River, in the West by the Urhobos and in the South Ijaws.
The Isoko country falls within the ever green forest belt of South Nigeria and it is a part of what is known as the oil palm belt of Nigeria. One of the earliest writers about the Isoko people Hubbards (2000) states that the outstanding physical features of the Isoko country are two main swamp systems. The Bethel and Owhe Swamp systems running rougly N.N.E and S.S.W. These areas are subject to annual flooding from the creeks that flow into the Niger River. The main occupation of Isoko people is farming, fishing and oil palm collecting.
According to Ikime (1972), the Isoko clans fall into two groups of migration:
1. Those that trace their Origin to Benin as Aviara, Emevor, Iyede, Okpe, Owhe and Uzere; and
2. Those that trace their Origin to Ibo Land as Enhwe and Umeh.
This leaves out the three clans of Erohwa, Igbide and Olomoro. The Erowha people claim that they are the oldest clan in Isoko Land and this is generally accepted by other clans. They reject Benin Origin and claim that they have always been there that is, an aboriginal group in Isoko Land. The founder of Igbide, Eru, is believed to have originally moved from Benin to Akwa in Anambra State and late through the Niger of Igbide. Olomoro is the only clan that has Urhobo Origin, being founded by three brothers who where sons of Gbose, the founder of the Olomu clan in the Urhobo land. The clans with Ibo Origin, Enhwe and Umeh, insist that their ancestors were the River Niger Ibos. Umeh clan, for example, is said to have been founded by a migration from the Aboh speaking village of Onya.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
This study emanated from the noticed huge losses incurred annually by schools, parents, government, examination bodies and students as a result of Examination malpractices hundreds of thousands of students. Many awarded to undeserving students. Many innocent students are punished unjustly as a result of mass cheating. Students become frustrated in life especially in the secondary school level as they are expelled from school as a result of Examination malpractice.
The damage it has done to our education is grave and then calls for urgent steps to redress the situation.
The situation calls for giving to the root causes of the problem before the remedy can be found. The option left among others is to investigate the teachers and students perceived causes, effects and remedies of examination malpractice in our Secondary School in Nigeria.
The problem of this study therefore is Examination Malpractice the causes, effects and way forward in Secondary School in Isoko South of Delta State.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of this study is to investigate or examine the course, effects and way forward of examination malpractice in Secondary School in Isoko South in Delta State. Various methods employed by students as well as the roles by teachers, parents, Secondary School authorities and the society at large.
1.4 Research Questions
1. What is the perception of teachers on the causes of examination malpractice among Secondary School?
2. What is the perception of students on the causes of exam malpractice in among Secondary Students in Isoko South?
3. What is the perception of teachers and students on the causes of exam malpractice in Isoko South
4. What is the perception of students on the effects of exam malpractice among Secondary Students in Isoko
5. What is the minds of teachers on the remedies of malpractice
Hypothesis
The following hypotheses were draw or formulated to guide this study;
1. There is no significance consequence between students who engaged in examination malpractice and those who do not in James Welch Grammar School in Isoko South.
2. There is no significant contribution of teachers to the major problem of examination malpractice in James Welch Grammar School in school Isoko South.
3. Unconducive Learning environment does not lead or propel James Welch Grammar School
4. Inadequate provision of instructional materials does not push students into examination malpractice.
1.5 Significance of the Study
It is of great importance to note that at the completion of this research work, various Secondary Schools Communities, towns, State and Nigeria in general will find the result of this research work to be beneficial to a great extent, this research work would play an essential role in the standard of education and in the task of economic growth and development. The result from this research work will also provide an ample opportunity for parents to be aware of what role they must play in order to prevent their children from being engaged in examination malpractice. The significant of this study is to reveal the depth at which examination malpractice or misconduct have eaten deep into the fabric of our Secondary schools (most especially in James Welch Grammar Secondary in Isoko South of Delta State), to discover the forms, causes, consequences and permanent cure or solution to the problem of causes and consequences of examination misconduct or malpractice. Also students been enlighten will then preserve the norms and value of the society and the ethics of examination.
1.6 Scope of Study
This research work covers only Secondary Schools in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State and it deals with examination practice the causes, effect and way forward.
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