CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
The study focuses on secondary school students' perception of the causes of examination malpractice. Evidence abound of increasing incidents of examination malpractices by students at schools and colleges, which conflict the core purpose of education – the training of the mind and character for the acquisition of practical and theoretical skills, knowledge and functional ideas for development, and the search for truth and knowledge and the creation and communication of ideas (Nanna, 1977; Peterson, 1988 as cited in Aaron, 1992).
In Nigeria, there first publicly reported case of examination malpractice occurred in 1914 when there was a leakage of question papers in the senior Cambridge local examination. Ever since, there have been cases of irregularities reported on a yearly basis. The outstanding years were 1963, 1967, 1970, 1973 etc. (West African Examination Council, 2004). The major forms of examination malpractice reported are: impersonation, bringing in foreign materials like books, calculators etc., substituting work scripts, collusion in the examination hall (copying), mass/organized cheating involving assistance from teachers and outsiders, and insult/assault on supervisors/invigilators (Oluyegba & Daramola, 1992). This trend in examination malpractice is inimical to academic development and advancement and need to be drastically addressed.
Examination malpractice is an alleged or unethical behaviour by secondary in the process of testing his/her ability or knowledge by means of question(s) (Ikupa, 1997). Oluyegba and Daramola (1992) remarked that examination malpractice include the following: examination malpractice is any irregular behaviour exhibited by a candidate or anybody charged with the conduct of examination before, during and after the examination which contravenes the rules and regulations governing the conduct of such examination. Such examination malpractice will include any of the following: examination leakage, impersonation, cheating, collusion, swapping of scripts, smuggling of answer scripts in examination halls, result/certificate forger, verbal/physical assault on examination administrators. Similarly, Kibler (1998) as cited in Kibler (1993) defined examination malpractice as forms of cheating and plagiarism that involve students giving or receiving unauthorized assistance in an academic exercise or receiving credit for work that is not their own.
It has been widely reported that parents aid and abet examination malpractices directly or indirectly because they even go to the extent of bringing their way through to ensure that their wards get unearned grades. The teachers on their part encourage examination malpractice because they lack the zeal to work and at the end would want to be praised for a job, which was never done thus graduating students who do not actually possess the abilities for which they are examined (Nanna, 1997). Examination malpractice is not a recent phenomenon nor is it peculiar to Nigeria or Africa, but it is a global issue (Ikupa, 1977). However, the alarming rate of its increase in Nigeria calls for novel ways to redress the situation. Examination misconduct has some social and psychological dimensions, which the counsellor should address with holistic intervention. Good grades in any examination are gateways to further education and entry into the world of work. But, if the value systems of our youths are well constructed, the examination ethics should be adhered to. According to Omoluabi (1993) and Uzoka (1993), our value system has broken down completely and so adults and youths alike act with moral scruples. The general emphasis in our society today is on materialism, bribery, corruption, cultism, sexual promiscuity, fraud, violence, certificate racketeering and a host of other social vices.
In view of the ever increasing incidences of examination malpractice and the problems associated with the conduct of examination in Nigeria, this study was undertaken to assess the perception of students towards the causes of examination malpractice.
Statement of the Problem
The persistent occurrence of examination malpractice has been a major concern to educationists (Aghenta, 2000; Ige, 2002). Despite the high premium placed on examinations by the National Policy on Education (FRN, 2004), examination malpractice have not been properly addressed in the country, nothing concrete has been done to reduce the problem except the cancellation of results in certain subjects. The problem of the study was finding a lasting solution to the issue of examination malpractice among secondary school students. The study seeks to provide answers to these questions: what are the perceptions of students of the causes of examination malpractice and what measures should be taken to discourage, prevent or otherwise address cheating among secondary school student?
Research Questions
The following research questions are raised to guide the study:
1. What is the perception of male and female students of the causes of examination malpractice?
2. What is the perception of public and private secondary school students of the causes of examination malpractice?
Purpose of the Study
The primary objective of the study is to investigate the perception of students on the causes of examination malpractice. The subsidiary objectives include the following:
1. Determine the perception of male and female students of the causes of examination malpractice?
2. Ascertain the perception of public and private secondary school students of the causes of examination malpractice?
Significance of the Study
This study will reveal the relationships that exist between secondary school students' perception and the causes of examination malpractice. It will also expose the effect of supervising students effectively during examination. And as such, this study will be beneficial to the management of secondary schools. This work will assist other school administrations including Colleges of Education, Polytechnics and Universities. These findings could provide useful information on how to pay less emphasis on certificates and paper qualification in order to produce competent and skillful graduates.
Scope of the Study
The study is limited to secondary school students' perception of the causes of examination malpractice. It is also restricted to Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State.
Limitations of the Study
This study has several limitations. First, the present data relied upon self-report information from students to assess perception of the causes of examination malpractice which raise an important validity concern. Students may be influenced by social demands to answer in a socially desirable direction either about their own behaviour or about their teachers' behaviours, thus introducing bias into the results. Second, the non-experimental nature of the study limits the ability to make casual inferences.
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
The study focuses on secondary school students' perception of the causes of examination malpractice. Evidence abound of increasing incidents of examination malpractices by students at schools and colleges, which conflict the core purpose of education – the training of the mind and character for the acquisition of practical and theoretical skills, knowledge and functional ideas for development, and the search for truth and knowledge and the creation and communication of ideas (Nanna, 1977; Peterson, 1988 as cited in Aaron, 1992).
In Nigeria, there first publicly reported case of examination malpractice occurred in 1914 when there was a leakage of question papers in the senior Cambridge local examination. Ever since, there have been cases of irregularities reported on a yearly basis. The outstanding years were 1963, 1967, 1970, 1973 etc. (West African Examination Council, 2004). The major forms of examination malpractice reported are: impersonation, bringing in foreign materials like books, calculators etc., substituting work scripts, collusion in the examination hall (copying), mass/organized cheating involving assistance from teachers and outsiders, and insult/assault on supervisors/invigilators (Oluyegba & Daramola, 1992). This trend in examination malpractice is inimical to academic development and advancement and need to be drastically addressed.
Examination malpractice is an alleged or unethical behaviour by secondary in the process of testing his/her ability or knowledge by means of question(s) (Ikupa, 1997). Oluyegba and Daramola (1992) remarked that examination malpractice include the following: examination malpractice is any irregular behaviour exhibited by a candidate or anybody charged with the conduct of examination before, during and after the examination which contravenes the rules and regulations governing the conduct of such examination. Such examination malpractice will include any of the following: examination leakage, impersonation, cheating, collusion, swapping of scripts, smuggling of answer scripts in examination halls, result/certificate forger, verbal/physical assault on examination administrators. Similarly, Kibler (1998) as cited in Kibler (1993) defined examination malpractice as forms of cheating and plagiarism that involve students giving or receiving unauthorized assistance in an academic exercise or receiving credit for work that is not their own.
It has been widely reported that parents aid and abet examination malpractices directly or indirectly because they even go to the extent of bringing their way through to ensure that their wards get unearned grades. The teachers on their part encourage examination malpractice because they lack the zeal to work and at the end would want to be praised for a job, which was never done thus graduating students who do not actually possess the abilities for which they are examined (Nanna, 1997). Examination malpractice is not a recent phenomenon nor is it peculiar to Nigeria or Africa, but it is a global issue (Ikupa, 1977). However, the alarming rate of its increase in Nigeria calls for novel ways to redress the situation. Examination misconduct has some social and psychological dimensions, which the counsellor should address with holistic intervention. Good grades in any examination are gateways to further education and entry into the world of work. But, if the value systems of our youths are well constructed, the examination ethics should be adhered to. According to Omoluabi (1993) and Uzoka (1993), our value system has broken down completely and so adults and youths alike act with moral scruples. The general emphasis in our society today is on materialism, bribery, corruption, cultism, sexual promiscuity, fraud, violence, certificate racketeering and a host of other social vices.
In view of the ever increasing incidences of examination malpractice and the problems associated with the conduct of examination in Nigeria, this study was undertaken to assess the perception of students towards the causes of examination malpractice.
Statement of the Problem
The persistent occurrence of examination malpractice has been a major concern to educationists (Aghenta, 2000; Ige, 2002). Despite the high premium placed on examinations by the National Policy on Education (FRN, 2004), examination malpractice have not been properly addressed in the country, nothing concrete has been done to reduce the problem except the cancellation of results in certain subjects. The problem of the study was finding a lasting solution to the issue of examination malpractice among secondary school students. The study seeks to provide answers to these questions: what are the perceptions of students of the causes of examination malpractice and what measures should be taken to discourage, prevent or otherwise address cheating among secondary school student?
Research Questions
The following research questions are raised to guide the study:
1. What is the perception of male and female students of the causes of examination malpractice?
2. What is the perception of public and private secondary school students of the causes of examination malpractice?
Purpose of the Study
The primary objective of the study is to investigate the perception of students on the causes of examination malpractice. The subsidiary objectives include the following:
1. Determine the perception of male and female students of the causes of examination malpractice?
2. Ascertain the perception of public and private secondary school students of the causes of examination malpractice?
Significance of the Study
This study will reveal the relationships that exist between secondary school students' perception and the causes of examination malpractice. It will also expose the effect of supervising students effectively during examination. And as such, this study will be beneficial to the management of secondary schools. This work will assist other school administrations including Colleges of Education, Polytechnics and Universities. These findings could provide useful information on how to pay less emphasis on certificates and paper qualification in order to produce competent and skillful graduates.
Scope of the Study
The study is limited to secondary school students' perception of the causes of examination malpractice. It is also restricted to Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State.
Limitations of the Study
This study has several limitations. First, the present data relied upon self-report information from students to assess perception of the causes of examination malpractice which raise an important validity concern. Students may be influenced by social demands to answer in a socially desirable direction either about their own behaviour or about their teachers' behaviours, thus introducing bias into the results. Second, the non-experimental nature of the study limits the ability to make casual inferences.
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