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Rima International Journal of Education (RIJE), Vol. 2 (No. 2): July, 2023; 24 – 37: ISSN: 2756 - 6749
CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF EXAMINATION MALPRACTICE
AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KWARA STATE
1Kamoru Abidoye Tiamiyu, Ph.D.; 2Abdulkareem Olalekan Abubakar & 3Rahmat
Tinuke Kamaldeen
1, 2 & 3Department of Educational Management and Counselling,
Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
1katiamiyu@alhikmah.edu.ng; 2olalekan5953@gmail.com &
3kamalbiodun613@gmail.com
Abstract
This study examined causes and consequences of examination malpractice among secondary schools in
Kwara State. This study adopted descriptive survey type. The population of this study comprised all public
senior secondary school students in Kwara State. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 10
public senior secondary schools in the state. Simple random sampling technique were used to select 20
students from each public senior secondary schools, making 200 public senior secondary school II students
as respondents (sample) for the study. Examination Malpractice Scale by Ongong (2018) was used to
collect necessary data. Descriptive statistic of frequency count and percentage was used to answer the
demographic data of respondents, the research questions were answered by mean and ranking order while
the research hypotheses were tested by t-test of inferential statistics at 0.05 level of significance. Findings
revealed the causes and consequences of examination malpractice among secondary schools. It was also
established that there was no significant difference in the causes and consequences of examination
malpractice among secondary schools in Kwara State based on gender. Part of the recommendations stated
that sound educational policy should be put in place to emphasise the supremacy of skills and professional
competence over certificate. Religious and community leaders should be used to intervene on parents who
insist on their children getting the best result without genuine efforts for it. School teachers should be
motivated and remunerated adequately and learning environment made friendly so that they can do their
work satisfactorily and cover the syllabus before examinations.
Keywords: Causes, Consequences, Examination and Examination Malpractice,
Introduction
The value and functionality of any educational system lie in its ability to actualize the
goals of education. In educational systems, world over, the examination process makes
the difference. The goals of national educational systems and indeed national
development become like mirage if examination ethics is not encouraged and instituted
(Nwadiani, 2015). Till date, examinations still remain the best tool for an objective
assessment and evaluation of what learners have achieved after a period of schooling.
Hence, any action that undermines examinations poses a great threat to the validity and
reliability of examination results and certification.
Unfortunately, the process of examination in Nigeria secondary schools has become a
“contemporary shame” (Nwadiani, 2015). This is because of the phenomenon of
examination malpractice that has become endemic in the educational system. The
Examination Malpractice Act (1999) explains examination malpractice as any act of
omission or commission by a person who in anticipation of, before, during or after any
examination fraudulently secure any unfair advantage for himself or any other person in
such a manner that contravenes the rules and regulations to the extent of undermining the
Rima International Journal of Education (RIJE)
25
validity, reliability, authenticity of the examination and ultimately the integrity of the
certificates issued. Oluyeba and Daramola (cited in Alutu & Aluede, 2016) remarked that
examination malpractice is any irregular behaviour exhibited by a candidate or anybody
charged with the conduct of examination before, during or after the examination that
contravenes the rules and regulations governing the conduct of such examination.
An examination is the main yardstick used for the measurement of a learner‟s
achievement. Examinations on a wider perspective are used as an instrument for
academic stratification, assessing grades, evaluating and accreditation. The end product of
such a judgment is used for diagnosing placement, guidance, and certification.
Examinations are also used to choose those who intend to enter into government services,
state schools, and some other educational institutions. The bodies for these examinations
are the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the National Examinations Council
(NECO), the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), and the National
Business and Technical Education Board (NABTEB). Examinations are either public or
external and they are carried out on behalf of the state with opportunities given to those
who meet the criteria (Akanni & Odofin, 2015). Public examinations provide an adequate
basis for qualifying students‟ abilities and also to exert control over the attainment of the
curricula across schools.
In Nigeria, all of the stakeholders of education and learners place their judgments on
performance at public examinations (Anzene, 2019). Public examinations, therefore,
seem to be the most popular parameter by which society judges the products of its
educational system. This is because performance in public examinations is now used as a
prerequisite for admission into other levels of schooling, job placements, and awards of
certificate and diploma (Adegboyega, 2017).
Therefore, examination malpractice is any illegal act committed by a student single
headedly or in collaboration with others; like fellow students, parents, teachers,
supervisors, invigilators, printers and anybody or group of people before, during or after
examination in order to obtain undeserved marks or grades (Jimoh, 2019). Examinations
can be used to classify students into those with higher and lower abilities. Those with
high abilities have a performance level above those with low abilities. This type of
grading encourages some students to engage in examination malpractice in order to obtain
good results. As such, to demonstrate that they too have high abilities, they take part in all
kinds of vices, including examination malpractice (Idahosa, 2019). Examination
malpractice may also be defined as any form of fraudulent activity by a learner with the
mindset of getting better results than their actual level of intelligence and academics
performance elaborates (Adegboyega, 2017).
Examination malpractice can be seen as any irregular behaviour (that contravenes
examination rules and regulations) exhibited by a candidate or anybody charged with this
type of conduct before, during, or after an examination. It is any improper action carried
out before, during and after the examination with the intention of cheating or having an
advantage (Idahosa 2019). It may also include exchange of the answer scripts by the
candidates hence helping each other in answering a question the other is not conversant in
claims. Some candidates forge results and certificates in order to better their results. With
the current technological advancement some candidates also use mobile phones and other
electronic gadgets into the examination hall (Nnam & Inah (2015).
Causes and Consequences of Examination Malpractice among Secondary Schools in Kwara State
26
In Nigeria, examination malpractice has continued to appear in different forms including
the sale of examination question papers, the smuggling of relevant text materials into
examination halls, impersonation, disorderliness in examination halls, and forgery of
result slips (Nnam & Inah, 2015). Akanni (2015), identified a form of examination
malpractice where there is a collision among the candidates and the officials in charge of
the examinations where the officials leak an information in the examination to the
candidates. Impersonation is another type of examination malpractice which is practiced
by candidates who are daring enough where other persons with a higher intelligence sits
for the examination in place of the supposed candidate who was meant to sit for the
examination. Candidates also write notes on the examination desks walls or their clothes
or smuggle in foreign materials into the examination hall. Giraffing is another used
method for the candidates to engage in the examination malpractice today whereby a
candidate stretches their neck to get access to the work of their counterpart in their answer
booklet where they try to transfer the same information on their answer booklet (Okon &
Adie, 2016).
In some instances students may also pay the invigilators and supervisor some amount of
money in order for them to be allowed to use illegal materials which they may have
smuggled into the examination hall. Also, some invigilators and supervisors add time for
the candidates deliberately hence, enabling them to gain an unfair advantage over the
other candidates (Uzoigwe 2016). Nnam and Inah (2015), found that some candidates
forge results and certificates in order to better their results. With the current technological
advancement some candidates also use mobile phones and other electronic gadgets into
the examination centers. In some cases the female students may also scribble notes on
their thighs and attempt to read such notes during the examination with the hope that the
invigilators will not dare to watch their thighs since they could be accused of sexual
harassment.
Though examination malpractice is neither a recent phenomenon nor is it peculiar to
Nigeria or Africa, the alarming rate of increase is a global issue (Awanbor, 2020). The
alarming rate of increase in examination malpractice in secondary schools in Nigeria calls
for concern from all stakeholders in the education sector. It has been widely reported that
parents and teachers aid and abet examination malpractice directly or indirectly. Parents
go to the extent of bribing their way through to ensure that their wards get unearned
grades while teachers encourage examination malpractice because they lack the zeal to
work but want to be praised for job not done (Alutu & Aluede, 2016). According to
Aluede, (2016), the value system in Nigeria has broken down completely and so adults
and youths alike act without moral scruples. This is the reason why examination
malpractice still thrives despite its grave consequences on the social political and
economic structures of the nation.
Examination Malpractice Act No. 33 of 1999 stipulates a minimum punishment of fifty
thousand naira (#50,000.00) and a maximum of five years imprisonment, without option
of fine, for violators of the offences stipulated in the Act. The offences are: cheating at
examinations, stealing of question papers, impersonation, disturbances at examination,
obstruction of supervision, forgery of result slip, breach of duty, conspiracy and aiding,
etc. Government, examination bodies, and other concerned citizens have made a lot of
efforts to forestall the incidences of examination malpractice and the problems associated
with the conduct of examinations in Nigeria. Although the efforts seem to be yielding
some results, yet incidences of examination malpractice still feature prominently in the
Rima International Journal of Education (RIJE)
27
school system. In 2016, the Federal Ministry of Education blacklisted and derecognized
324 secondary schools across the nation as centres for conducting public examinations
from 2007 to 2010 (Awanbor, 2020).
The western knowledge acquisition system or formal education is measured on
certificates. Yet, certificate is not a full proof of knowledge retention. Before certificate is
awarded, the students have to be assessed or examined in the field they have been trained.
Nnam and Inah (2015) notes that examination is a yardstick against which students or
candidates‟ competence and progress are formally measured and appraised in the
education sector. According to Emaikwu (2017), examination as part of evaluation in
education is aimed at determining a learner‟s level of skill acquisition or intellectual
competence and understanding after a given training. Evaluation usually enables the
teacher to be effectively ready for further teaching as this forms a feedback. George and
Ojonemi (2018) opines that examination is the most common tool around which the entire
system of education revolves, it is the instrument used to decide who is permitted to move
to the next academic level.
Malik and Shah (1998) cited in Akaranga and Ongong (2018) observed that examination
is not only a process of assessing the progress of students but, it also motivates and helps
them to know their academic strengths and weaknesses apart from providing teachers
with opportunities to try new methods of teaching. But when examination is not properly
conducted, the expected feedback may not result. Hence, the result of such evaluation
leads to wrong decision and judgement which affect the teacher, the learner, the entire
education industry, as well as the society (Ojonemi et al., 2018). Whenever there is
examination irregularity or malpractice, the validity and resulting outcome is
questionable.
From all the definitions, it is clear that examination malpractice tends to confer undue
advantage or undeserved grade to the perpetrators of the act. Again, it may be committed
by not only the candidates but also by other bodies charged with the responsibilities of
examination management. Undoubtedly, examination malpractice has been a social
problem for decades, but the rate and manner it is perpetrated nowadays calls for serious
concern. The rate of this crime has become so widespread that there is virtually no
examination anywhere at all levels and outside the formal school system that there is no
one form of illegal practice or another, (Nnam & Inah, 2015; Ojonemi et al., 2018).
Examination malpractices are common everywhere and every examination season
witnesses the emergence of new and ingenious ways of cheating.
Causes of Examination Malpractice
Many reasons have been adduced to be the cause of the prevalent cases of examination
malpractice. Petters and Okon (2018) identifies the causes to include fear of failure, craze
for certificate, desire of parents to have their children in choice professions and
university, pressure on students to pursue courses which they have no aptitude, pressure
on teachers who want to gain favour of student and overcrowded sitting arrangement.
George and Ukpong (2018) links the increasing rate of examination malpractice to poor
teaching, ineffective preparation by students, ill-equipped library facilities, and dubious
admission policy.
Causes and Consequences of Examination Malpractice among Secondary Schools in Kwara State
28
Akaranga and Ongong (2018) views the cause of examination malpractice to parental
upbringing. They opined that because of social status and economic ability, most parents
are easily persuaded to bribe their way through for the sole success of their children and
self-gratification. According to Ejimogu (2020) cited in Nsisong (2021), general moral
decadence and the high premium placed on achievement and certificates by Nigerians has
in recent times spawned examination fraud. The overdependence on educational
certificates as a measure of one‟s knowledge and competence has led to a mad rush by
most people for educational certificates through unethical means.
The disjunction between culturally acclaimed goals and the institutionalized means of
achieving these goals coupled with the cultural context of great emphasis on success-
goals without equivalent emphasis upon institutional means of attaining these goals have
created an environment that predisposes some students, teachers, parents and others to
examination malpractice, (Jimoh, 2019). The Nigerian society today is characterized by a
heavy emphasis on success and wealth without a corresponding emphasis on legitimate
means and avenues to be used in achieving the success. The country has become a
commercial venture and no longer a place for selfless service.
Consequences of Examination Malpractice
In a society that examination malpractice is predominant, its impact are visibly seen in the
type of human resources the education system has produced. Again, educational system
strives to inculcate high level of discipline, diligence, moral love for others; to the
recipients where the examination is fraught with malpractice, all the important feedback
mechanism becomes defaulted and the educational system becomes distorted, (The CWO
Voice, 2015).
Examination malpractice leads to irreversible loss of credibility. A country that becomes
notorious in examination malpractice loses international credibility. The implication is
that documents or certificates emanating from such country will be treated with suspicion
as is the case of Nigeria today. Such country‟s educational institutions are as good as dead
as far as international cooperation in education is concerned (Jimoh, 2019).
Examination malpractice has grave consequences on the individuals and institutions of
learning, communities and the country at large. Dismissal, termination, loss of position,
and lack of self-confidence are effects and have caused a lot of embarrassment and
suffering to individuals, families and the nation. The guilty ones who were not caught and
punished cannot defend the certificates procured not to talk of delivering at their duty
posts.
The prevalent rate of bank failures, collapse of buildings, economic sabotage, vandalism,
kidnapping/hostage taking for ransom, drug trafficking, fake drug manufacturing and
sales are practical effects of moral decadence, emanating from examination malpractice.
Effects of examination fraud are displayed in the filling stations, churches, homes,
hospitals, markets and everywhere.
The fight against corruption cannot be realized if examination malpractice continues to be
rampant in our educational system. As future leaders who have been equipped through a
school system characterized by academic fraud and dishonesty, will certainly manifest
this fraudulent behaviour in any organization they may found themselves. Those that
Rima International Journal of Education (RIJE)
29
cheated to pass examination will cheat to get employed, have spouse, and even to win
election through electoral violence or other sharp malpractices.
Other effects of examination malpractice includes discouragement of students from hard
work, low productivity and poor job performances, bribery, corruption, and certificate
racketeering. Examination malpractice with its disadvantages is affecting all the facets of
the society negatively. The potentials of this nation will be difficult to be realized
socially, economically, and technologically until the individuals, governments, and other
stakeholders in the education sector collaborate to eradicate this malpractice.
Examination malpractice has proven to be a tug of war in the Nigerian educational system
and this has caused some examination to lose credibility and expose the entire educational
system to ridicule, to the extent that many students cannot defend their certificates and are
not employable. Cheating in the examination has led to the cancellation of the results for
the respective students who have been found to have cheated and hence such a student
may have wasted the four years in high school.
The practice of examination malpractice also makes the public to lose faith and hope in
national examination and further question the examination body for failure to execute its
mandate of providing credible examination to the public. The parents for such students on
the other hand may have struggled to raise the fees for such students only for the results
to be cancelled and they may feel that their energy might have been wasted in raising of
the fees for their children.
Examination malpractices have also discouraged the students from working hard in
school since a short cut to getting good grades is available. This has also demotivated the
students hence bringing about a culture of laziness in the secondary schools. Previous
studies focuses on parental influence and teachers professionalism as factors of
examination malpractice, not considering students perspective. Hence, this study seeks to
examine the causes and consequences of examination malpractice as perceived by
secondary school students in Kwara State.
Purpose of the Study
The main aim of the study is to investigate the causes and consequences of examination
malpractice as perceived by secondary school students in Kwara State. Specifically, this
study intends to achieve the following:
i. To find out the causes of examination malpractice as perceived by secondary
school students in Kwara State.
ii. To investigate the consequences of examination malpractice as perceived by
secondary school students in Kwara State.
iii. To unravel the differences in the causes of examination malpractice as perceived
by secondary school students in Kwara State based on gender.
iv. To examine the differences in the consequences of examination malpractice as
perceived by secondary school students in Kwara State based on gender.
Research Questions
The following research questions are raised to guide this study
Causes and Consequences of Examination Malpractice among Secondary Schools in Kwara State
30
i. What are the causes of examination malpractice in Kwara State?
ii. What are the consequences of examination malpractice in Kwara State?
Research Hypothesis
The following research hypothesis is formulated to guide this study
H01: There is no significant difference in the causes of examination malpractice
secondary school students in Kwara State based on gender
H02: There is no significant difference in the consequences of examination malpractice
secondary schools in Kwara State based on gender
Methodology
This study adopted descriptive survey. This was used to examine the causes and
consequences of examination malpractices in Kwara State. The population of this study
consisted of all secondary school students in Kwara State. Simple random sampling
technique was used in this study. Ten public secondary schools were randomly sampled
and 20 students were selected from each of the selected secondary schools. The
participants for this were 200 randomly selected students from ten randomly selected
public secondary schools in Kwara State.
Causes and Consequences of Examination Malpractice were measured by Ongong‟s
Examination Malpractice Scale (EMS, 2018). Each of the instruments contains 10 items.
The questionnaire were divided into sections A, B and C. Section A is meant to collect
personal data of the respondents, Section B contained items on Causes of Examination
Malpractice and Section C contains items on Consequences of Examination Malpractice.
The instrument has four point rating scale; Strongly Agree(SA) =4, Agree (A)=3,
Disagree(D)=2 and Strongly Disagree(SD)=1. The instrument was adapted. The set of
two scores were correlated using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient and
0.72 reliability index was obtained.
The instruments for this study were personally administered by the researchers on the
respondents in the sample schools. Before the administration of the questionnaire, the
researcher introduced himself to the principals of the selected schools and informed them
about his mission in the schools. Upon obtaining the required permissions from the
authority of each school, the researcher administered the instrument on the respondents.
The completed questionnaire was collected from the respondents in each of the sample
schools by the researcher.
Descriptive statistic of frequency count and percentage were used to answer the
demographic data of respondents, the research questions were answered by mean and
ranking order while the research hypotheses were tested by t-test of inferential statistics at
0.05 level of significance.
Results
The data presented in Table 1 shows the demographic characteristics of the respondents
using frequency and percentages.
Rima International Journal of Education (RIJE)
31
Table 1: Distribution of the Respondents by Gender, Age, Class, Religion
Gender
Frequency
Percentage (%)
Male
97
48.5
Female
103
51.5
Total
200
100.0
Age
13 – 15 years
57
28.5
16 -18 years
143
71.5
Total
200
100.0
Class
SSS II
200
100.0
Total
200
100.0
Religion
Christian
89
44.5
Muslim
111
55.5
Total
200
100.0
Table 1 revealed that out of the 200 respondents that participated in the study, 97 (48.5%
of the respondents) were male, while 103 (51.5% of the respondents) were female. This
implies that there were more female respondents than male respondents in this study.
Also, out of the 200 respondents that participated in the study, 57(28.5% of the
respondents) were between the ages 13 – 15 years, while 143 (71.5% of the respondents)
were between the ages 16-18 years. This shows that the majority of the respondents in
this study were between the ages 16-18 years. Furthermore, since SSS II is the target
population of the study, therefore the sample were 200 (100.0%) respondents that
participated in the study. More so, out of the 200 respondents that participated in the
study, 89 (44.5% of the respondents) were Christians while 111 (55.5% of the
respondents) were Muslims. This implies that there were more respondents that were
Muslims than Christians in this study.
Research Question 1: What are the causes of examination malpractice of secondary
schools in Kwara State?
Table 2: Ranking Order of causes of examination malpractice secondary
schools in Kwara State
S/N
Items
Mean
Ranking
2.
High pressure for certificate causes examination malpractice
3.32
1st.
7.
lack of preparation or in-adequate preparation for examination
by students causes examination malpractice
3.23
2nd
10.
Negative peer influence causes students to engage in
examination malpractice
3.10
3rd
1.
Fear of academic failure causes examination malpractice
2.72
4th
3.
Desire of parents to have their children in choice of
professions they wish causes examination malpractice
2.70
5th
11.
High level of moral decadence causes examination
malpractice
2.66
6th
4.
Pressure on students to pursue courses which they have no
aptitude
2.65
7th
9.
inadequate of viable teaching materials/ equipment causes
2.57
8th
Causes and Consequences of Examination Malpractice among Secondary Schools in Kwara State
32
examination malpractice
8.
Ill-equipped library facilities causes examination malpractice
2.40
9th
6.
Poor teaching method adopted by teachers causes examination
malpractice
2.31
10th
5.
Overcrowded of students in the classroom causes examination
malpractice
2.27
11th
Source: Field Survey, 2022
Table 2 indicates that 200 respondents participated in this study. The major causes of
examination malpractice as perceived by secondary school students in Kwara State was
„High pressure for certificate causes examination malpractice which has a mean score of
3.32 (1st), „lack of preparation or in-adequate preparation for examination by students
causes examination malpractice‟ which has a mean score of 3.23 (2nd), and „Negative
peer influence causes students to engage in examination malpractice‟ which has a mean
score of 3.10 (3rd). Also, „Fear of academic failure causes examination malpractice
which have a mean score of 2.72 (4th). „ Desire of parents to have their children in choice
of professions they wish causes examination malpractice‟ has a mean score of 2.70 (5th),
„High level of moral decadence causes examination malpractice‟ which has a mean score
of 2.66 (6th), Pressure on students to pursue courses which they have no aptitude‟ has a
mean score of 2.65 (7th) and inadequate of viable teaching materials/ equipment causes
examination malpractice has a mean score of 2.57 (8th) while other statements have a
mean score that below the 2.50 benchmark.
Research Question 2: What are the consequences of examination malpractice of
secondary schools in Kwara State?
Table 3: Ranking Order of Consequences of Examination Malpractice of
secondary schools in Kwara State
S/N
Items
Mean
Ranking
7
It renders the goals of education invalid
3.39
1st.
3
It leads to lack of self-confidence on the obtained certificate
3.26
2nd
6
It deprives innocent student from due recognition
academically
2.95
3rd
5
It discourages of good students from studying hard
2.89
4th
2
It produces candidates with low morale and academic values
2.67
5th
1
It increases lack of academic confidence among students
2.60
6th
4
It causes a lot of embarrassment for those who are caught
2.55
7th
Source: Field Survey, 2022
Table 3 indicates that 200 respondents participated in this study. The main consequences
of examination malpractice as perceived by secondary school students in Kwara State was
that „It renders the goals of education invalid‟ which has a mean score of 3.39 (1st), It
leads to lack of self-confidence on the obtained certificate‟ has a mean score of 3.26
(2nd), It deprives innocent student from due recognition academically‟ has a mean score
of 2.95 (3rd), „It discourages of good students from studying hard‟ has a mean score of
2.89 (4th), „It produces candidates with low morale and academic values‟ has a mean
score of 2.67 (5th), „It increases lack of academic confidence among students‟ has a
mean score of 2.60 (6th), „It causes a lot of embarrassment for those who are caught‟ has
Rima International Journal of Education (RIJE)
33
a mean score of 2.55 (7th), and „It leads to dissatisfaction on the part of the candidates‟
has a mean score of 2.50 (8th).
Hypotheses Testing
Research Hypothesis One:
There is no significant difference in the causes of examination malpractice of secondary
school students in Kwara State based on gender.
Table 4: Mean, Standard Deviation and t-test Analysis of Difference in the
Causes of Examination Malpractice of secondary schools in Kwara
State based on Gender
Gender
N
Mean
SD
Df
T-cal
Sig. (2-
tailed)
Decision
Male
97
37.61
10.79
198
1.65
1.98
Not
rejected
Female
103
39.39
11.43
P>0.05
As shown on Table 4, male respondents had a mean score of 37.61 with a standard
deviation of 10.79, while female respondents had mean score of 39.39 with a standard
deviation of 11.43. The calculated t-value was 1.65, while its calculated significance
value was 0.11of df 198 at alpha level of 0.05. On this basis, null hypothesis one was
therefore not rejected. This means that there was no significant difference in the causes of
examination malpractice as perceived by secondary school students in Kwara State based
on gender. The reason was that the calculated significance value (0.11) was greater than
0.05 level (ρ> 0.05).
Research Hypothesis Two: There is no significant difference in the consequences of
examination malpractice of secondary schools in Kwara State based on gender.
Table 5: Mean, Standard Deviation and t-test Analysis of Difference in the
Consequences of Examination Malpractice of secondary schools in
Kwara State Based on Gender
Gender
N
Mean
SD
Df
T-cal
Sig. (2-
tailed)
Decision
Male 97
15.18
2.99
198
0.11
0.92
Not Rejected
Female 103
15.15
3.33
P>0.0
As shown on Table 5, male respondents had a mean score of 15.18 with a standard
deviation of 2.99, while female respondents had a mean score of 15.15 with a standard
deviation of 3.33. The calculated t-value was 0.11, while its calculated significance value
was 0.92 of df 2/538 at alpha level of 0.05. On this basis, null hypothesis two was
therefore not rejected. This means that there was no significant difference in the
consequences of examination malpractice as perceived by secondary school students in
Causes and Consequences of Examination Malpractice among Secondary Schools in Kwara State
34
Kwara State based on gender. The reason was that the calculated significance value (0.92)
was greater than 0.05 level (ρ> 0.05).
Discussion
This study examined causes and consequences of examination malpractice of secondary
school students in Kwara State. From the analysis presented, the following discussions of
the findings were made.
Research Question one study revealed that the major causes of examination malpractice
of secondary school in Kwara State include high pressure for certificate causes
examination malpractice, „lack of preparation or in-adequate preparation for examination
by students causes examination malpractice‟, and „Negative peer influence causes
students to engage in examination malpractice‟, Also, „Fear of academic failure causes
examination malpractice. Desire of parents to have their children in choice of professions
they wish causes examination malpractice, „High level of moral decadence causes
examination malpractice, Pressure on students to pursue courses which they have no
aptitude‟ and inadequate of viable teaching materials/ equipment causes examination
malpractice. This finding supports that of Okon and Adie (2016) who in their studies
reported that an array of factors were responsible for examination malpractice in Nigeria
which included what most respondents called the “wrong value system which leads to
serious quests for certification instead of knowledge and skills”, These factors included
laziness, a lack of preparation or in-adequate preparation for the examination, a lack of
self-confidence, poor school facilities, poor invigilation, and weak parental factors.
Research Question two revealed that the main consequences of examination malpractice
of secondary schools in Kwara State was that „It renders the goals of education invalid, It
leads to lack of self-confidence on the obtained certificate, It deprives innocent student
from due recognition academically‟, „It discourages of good students from studying hard‟,
„It produces candidates with low morale and academic values‟, „It increases lack of
academic confidence among students‟, „It causes a lot of embarrassment for those who
are caught‟, and „It leads to dissatisfaction on the part of the candidates. This finding is
congruent with that of Uzoigwe (2015) and Okon and Adie (2016) who found that
candidates/students who would ordinarily be working hard to pass their examinations
now depend on quick arrangements since they believe so much in such arrangements as
they rarely failed.
Research Hypothesis One revealed that there was no significant difference in the causes
of examination malpractice of secondary schools in Kwara State based on gender. This
finding is congruent with that of Emaikwu (2017) and Petters and Okon (2018) who
reported that there was no significant difference in the male and female causes of
examination malpractice in secondary schools in Nigeria. More so, it found that
perceptions of teachers do not differ on the causes and effect of examination malpractice
in senior secondary in Enugu State based on gender.
Research Hypothesis two revealed that there was no significant difference in the
consequences of examination malpractice of secondary schools in Kwara State based on
gender based on age. This finding corroborates with that of George and Ukpong (2018)
found that consequences of Examination malpractices breed unqualified and unskillful
Rima International Journal of Education (RIJE)
35
product of the school system and lowers the standard of education certificate in a country.
It also paints the country or state in bad light to external communities.
Conclusion
Based on the findings of this study, it was concluded that there is existing of examination
malpractice and consequences as perceived by secondary school students in Kwara State,
the causes include the followings high pressure for certificate causes examination
malpractice, „lack of preparation or in-adequate preparation for examination by students
causes examination malpractice‟, and „Negative peer influence causes students to engage
in examination malpractice‟, Also, „Fear of academic failure causes examination
malpractice. Desire of parents to have their children in choice of professions they wish
causes examination malpractice, „high level of moral decadence. Also, examination
malpractice has the followings consequences it renders the goals of education invalid, It
leads to lack of self-confidence on the obtained certificate, It deprives innocent student
from due recognition academically‟, „It discourages of good students from studying hard‟,
„It produces candidates with low morale and academic values‟, „It increases lack of
academic confidence among students‟, „It causes a lot of embarrassment for those who
are caught‟, and „It leads to dissatisfaction on the part of the candidates. There was no
significant difference in the causes and consequences of examination malpractice as
perceived by secondary school students in Kwara State based on gender.
Recommendations
The following recommendations were made based on the findings of the study.
1. Sound educational policy should be put in place with de-emphasis on the
supremacy of certificates over skills and professional competence.
2. Religious and community leaders should be used to intervene on parents who
insist on their children getting the best result without genuine efforts for it.
3. School teachers should be motivated and remunerated adequately and learning
environment made friendly so that they can do their work satisfactorily and cover
the syllabus before examinations.
4. Education officers and school heads through the school counsellor should
intensify sensitisations to learners on the dangers and consequences of engaging in
examination malpractices. Learners should be made to understand the effects of
examination malpractice before the commencement of examinations so as to
reduce the likelihood of engaging in examination malpractice.
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