THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF EXAMINATION MALPRACTICE – Engr. U. S. Ikele (B. Eng, M. Eng. (FUTO))

Examination Malpractice is any illegal act committed by a student single handedly or in collaboration with fellow students, parents, supervisors and invigilators before, during and after examination in order to obtain undeserved marks or grades. Factors that contribute to examination malpractice include:

• Students factor: Students who are lazy and do not prepare adequately for an examination will most likely engage in examination malpractice. This is because since they do not want to fail, cheating becomes the only option. They quest to make good grades on a platter of gold also makes students to end up cheating.

• Parents Factor: Many Parents are ready to pay any amount and do anything no matter the involvement to see their children pass examinations. This is absolutely wrong and it encourages laziness.

• Lecturers Factor: Many lecturers are ready to take bribe from parents in order to pass their ward. It is bad enough that many students cheat because they would not study on their own, but it is worse when the action of the lecturer encourages examination misconduct.

• National Life Factor: Examination Malpractice is just one of the many corrupt practices in our country. Examination misconducts have been morally perceived to be right in the eyes of a few. The poor state of infrastructures in schools, incessant strike actions, poor funding, and loss of true sense of value encourage examination misconduct in one way or the other.

• Examination Bodies factor: It is unimaginable and quite unfortunate to say that most examination bodies support examination malpractices. They support examination by providing incompetent personnel to invigilate examinations, poor spacing of examination halls and inadequate writing materials.

The consequences of examination malpractices

1.      It makes one unable to defend his/her certificate

2.      It discredits academic institutions

3.      It impedes the intellectual growth of a country

4.      It facilitates mediocrity, half-baked and incompetent work force.

5.      It reduces the value of certificates

6.      It leads to EXPULSION/RUSTICATION from the University.

Students are advised to shun Examination Malpractice.