Some stakeholders in the education sector have said that examination malpractice undermined the credibility of the education system in Nigeria.
They said that the spate of exam malpractice was eroding global trust in the nation’s education system, as students who obtained grades through fraudulent ways lacked the knowledge and competence to defend their qualifications.
The stakeholders, including educationists, government officials, students and activists, stated this in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Sunday in Bauchi, Dutse and Gombe.
Mr Ibrahim Labaran, Deputy Director of Examinations, Bauchi State Ministry of Education, said that examination malpractice produced graduates whose academic qualifications might not reflect their actual abilities.
He said that the consequences of exam malpractice went beyond obtaining inflated scores, as students who could not genuinely defend their grades lack the competence expected of holders of such qualifications.
Labaran attributed the trend to the proliferation of “miracle centres,” largely patronised due to the candidates’ lack of confidence in their academic abilities.
He said that the Bauchi state government has adopted strict measures to check the menace, including a two-year sanction and a N500 000 fine, to be impose on defaulting schools.
“Principals found involved in exam malpractice could also face dismissal,” he said.
Labaran underscored the need for regular engagement with school administrators and other stakeholders to educate them on the ills of the examination fraud.
“Improving the quality of education from the basic level will enable students to acquire the knowledge and confidence required to pass examinations,” he said.
Mr Joseph Adetipe, a veteran teacher in Gombe, alleged that exam fraud was being perpetrated by some examination officials and parents, who pressured their students to score higher grades.
Adetipe, who is also a school proprietor, alleged that corruption and compromise on the part of government officials aided the growth of the miracle centres.
While dismissing the trend as worrisome, Adetipe said that the existence of the miracle centres discouraged many students to study and prepare adequately for examinations.
Also, Usman Abdullahi, a student in Gombe, alleged that some candidates were allowed to use phones during examinations after payment of a token described as “logistics” to support exam supervisors’ transportation.
He said that the practice could assist students to obtain impressive grades without possessing the knowledge required to justify it.
Similarly, a Gombe-based school proprietor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, accused examination officials of seeking for gratification from schools to enable candidates to receive assistance during examinations.
In Jigawa, some educationists blamed the growing examination fraud to pressure by parents on their children to obtain high grades.
A teacher in the Madobi area of Dutse, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the trend as a major threat to education development.
“Some parents are more interested in certificates than knowledge. This encourages the growth of centres where candidates believe somebody will help them to pass examinations,” he said.
However, Mrs Hauwa Usman, another teacher, said that school proprietors, exam officials and parents encouraged exam malpractice.
She urged examination bodies to strengthen accreditation and monitoring of examination centres to ensure that only centres that met the required standards were accredited to conduct examinations.
To address the menace, Firdausi Abdulkadir, an educationist, called for strict sanctions against centres found facilitating examination malpractice.
Abdulkadir also advocated for the adoption of Computer-Based Testing (CBT), randomisation of examination questions and restrictions on late transfers of students to schools shortly before external examinations.
On his part, Ibrahim Musa, an education technologist, said that effective utilisation of the CBT could reduce traditional forms of examination malpractice, including collusion and impersonation.
He, however, said that technology alone could not eliminate malpractice, and stressed the need for secure systems, biometric verification, controlled examination environments and adequate training for examination officials.
“Moving from paper to computer does not automatically make an examination secure. The systems must be properly protected, and examination officials must be adequately trained,” he said.
(NAN)
