write an essay on the topic examination malpractice

Examination Malpractice: Causes, Effects, And Solutions

Did you know that one million dollars are lost to examination malpractices in Nigeria every year?

50% of Nigerian students have been victims of examination malpractice. They failed a subject or an exam due to examination malpractices.

Or that a teacher or lecturer is involved in over 70% of these cases, and sometimes, even the Principal. These are just some of the sad truths about examination malpractices in Nigeria.

Examination malpractices are scandals that have taken over the Nigerian education sector.

In this article, we will look into the major causes, effects, and solutions to examination malpractices in Nigeria's educational sector.

Effects of examination malpractices on students are closely associated with poor results and low academic performances.

Low academic performances affect both students' native aptitude, their future development as well as their future career opportunities.

The effects exam malpractice can have on students can be demotivating and discouraging. Those suffering from the problem may eventually affect their performance later on in life.

But before we look into the causes, effects, and solutions to examination malpractices in Nigeria, let's quickly check what examination malpractice is.

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What Is Examination Malpractice?

Examination Malpractice is defined as a deliberate illegal act contrary to the rules and regulations of the official examination.

In another way, it can be defined as illegal or improper conduct by a candidate of an examination with the aim to pass an exam.

This illegal act is alarming in our educational sector today. Many students are always on the lookout for means to cheat in their exams.

Cheating in examinations is a problem prevalent in our society today, as a result of an abundance of examination malpractices.

Now, let's check the causes of examination malpractice in our Nigerian schools today.

Causes Of Examination Malpractice In Schools

There are many factors that cause examination malpractice among students in Nigeria and other countries.

Some of them are:

1. Fear of failure.

2. Laziness of students.

3. Lack of self-confidence.

4. Poor quality teaching.

5. Bad school management.

6. Poor parental upbringing.

7. Peer pressure.

8. Inadequate study materials.

9. High level of poverty.

10. Bad government practices.

11. Teacher's attitude to work.

12. Poor supervision.

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As you can see, all these factors can cause students to engage in examination malpractice in school.

However, I am going to explain some of these factors and how they impact examination malpractice in our schools today.

1. Fear of Failure

Many students engage in examination malpractices because they are afraid that they will fail the exams.

When they should spend quality time reading their notes they are panicking about the examination. The fear of failure is one of the major causes of illegal acts in exams today.

2. Laziness of Students

Yes, it is hundred per cent true that many students are very lazy in their academic careers.

They are lazy to read and study notes, do their home works and assignments, and carry out the tasks given to them by their teachers or lecturers.

Laziness will make any students go the extra mile (illegal ways) to pass exams.

3. Poor Parental Upbringing

You will agree with me that poor parental upbringing is one of the major causes of examination malpractice in Nigeria today.

Many parents do not have time to train their children in the right way because of work and busyness. And the parents who have the time to teach their children taught them in the wrong way.

Lack of proper home training has caused some students to engage in examination malpractices because they don't find anything wrong with it.

4. High Level of Poverty

Indeed, poverty makes some students engage in examination malpractices because education and schooling require parents to spend money on their children.

Some parents could not afford to buy textbooks, novels, and other necessary materials for their children. This leads to the students cheating in examinations.

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5. Bad Government Practices

The government is the body controlling the educational sector from nursery schools to tertiary institutions.

If the government engage in some bad practices, it will affect the education sector.

A corrupt government will produce corrupt officials. This will lead to students engaging in examination malpractices.

Why? Because teachers, lecturers, and education officials are involved in these illegal practices too.

6. Teacher's Attitude To Work

Here is another cause of examination malpractices many people are not talking about.

Teachers' bad attitude to work enhances the high rate of examination malpractices in Nigeria.

Some teachers or lecturers are indeed lazy to teach students in class as they ought to.

For instance, some teachers or lecturers have not covered the quarter (1/4) of the syllabus they are supposed to teach for a term or semester.

Yet they set out questions on every topic in the syllabus for the students in the exam. How do you expect them to pass? Some of the students will settle to cheat in exams.

Right now, you might be asking yourself if examination malpractices have effects on students?

Yes, it does. So, what are the effects of examination malpractices on students?

Effects Of Examination Malpractices On Students

Here, I have explained the 7 powerful effects of examination malpractice on students in another post.

Go here to read the article now - 7 Effects Of Examination Malpractices On Students

Now, that you've known what examination malpractice is, the causes, and the effects on students. Let's quickly check the solution to it.

Solutions To Examination Malpractices In Nigeria

What can we do to eliminate these illegal practices in Nigeria? Here are some of the solutions to eradicate the problem of examination malpractices in Nigeria:

1. Good Parental Upbringing

"Charity begins at home," they say. If we are going to eradicate examination malpractices, it must begin at home.

Parental upbringing contributes a lot to these illegal acts in exams.

So, it is the role of the parents to give their children proper home training and teach them against examination malpractices.

A student with solid home training will not engage in these improper activities in exams.

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2. Punishment of Students

Another practical and effective solution to examination malpractices in Nigeria is to punish students found engaging in any illegal acts during exams.

Other students will take caution when they know there is severe punishment for any illegal or misconduct during exams.

This will help to reduce examination malpractices gradually in schools today.

3. Good School Management

Good school management includes good quality teaching, good equipment and facilities, a conducive environment, adequate study materials, and so on.

This will help students pay more attention in class and be more serious with their studies.

4. Increment In The Salaries Of Teachers

Teachers and lecturers should be appreciated for their hard work and rewarded equally.

This will make them have the right attitude to work and carry out their duties accordingly.

Also, an increment in the salaries of teachers will reduce examination malpractices in Nigeria.

5. Government Should Encourage Education

The government has a role to play in eradicating examination malpractices in Nigeria.

The government should encourage and spend more on education. It should provide more facilities and equipment and other necessary things for schools.

Examination malpractice is very alarming in Nigeria. This act is reducing our national integrity and values.

The government, teachers, parents, and students have roles to play in eradicating these illegal acts in schools during exams.

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Causes and Effects of Examination Malpractices on the Performance of Secondary School Students in Orumba South L. G. A., Anambra State.

The study investigated ‘causes and effect of examination malpractice on the performance of secondary school students in Orumba South Local Government Area. Three (3) research questions were used for the study with descriptive survey design adopted. Purposive sample technique and sample size of 200 respondents composed of fifty (50) teachers and hundred and fifty (150) students were used for the study. The responses were analyzed using arithmetic mean (X). The study was reported, among other things, that population explosion, corruption, fear of examination failure, parents’ pressure, laziness on the part of the students, bring about examination fraud. It was further reported that parents’ withdrawal of their children from the affected schools, emergence of bad reputation, employers’ loss of confidence on the educational system, inadequate performance of graduates at work places and cancellation of examinations constitute the effects of examination fraud. It was recommended that adequate funding of schools, adequate re-orientation of all parties to examination fraud, safe keeping of examination question papers and answered scripts, adequate sitting arrangement of students during examinations would help to solve the menace of examination misconduct in our school system

Related Papers

IBRAHIM MOHAMMED TAUHEED

Open Access Publishing Group

This study is an assessment of the management strategies for curbing examination malpractices in Secondary Schools in Abia State, Nigeria, considering the persistence of examination malpractices in the educational institutions. Three research questions were raised to guide the study. A researcher constructed questionnaire titled, Assessment of Management Strategies for Curbing Examination Malpractices Questionnaire (AMSFCEMQ), was used in the data collection. A total of 560 teachers including principals, selected through proportional stratified sampling responded to the questionnaires administered. The reliability of the instrument was established using Cronbach Alpha Coefficient. The reliability value was 0.67. The results showed that all the five pre-examination malpractice curbing strategies identified were effective, such as, the covering of syllabus by teachers. Six out of seven strategies identified during the examination were effective, such as, having adequate number of invigilators in the hall. The post-examination malpractice curbing strategies found effective were five out of seven, such as examiners ensuring that the total number of answer scripts tallied with the total number of examinees. With the persistence of examination malpractices in Nigeria, despite the application of the identified effective strategies, it was recommended that stiffer penalties be pronounced as deterrent. These include increasing the number of years of de–registration of culprit centers and the finding of political will by government to fully implement Examination Malpractice Act 33 of 1999.

Olayemi J Abiodun-Oyebanji

This paper examined the menace of examination malpractices in Nigerian secondary schools and its implications for quality assurance. This hydra-headed monster has grown so much out of proportion today; especially in our secondary schools that concerned members of the society have become so perturbed on the credibility of certificates gotten from our secondary schools and even the future of Nigerian educational system as a whole which appears to be in serious danger due to the menace of examination malpractices. Among the numerous causes of examination malpractices as identified by this paper are undue emphasis place on certificates in Nigerian society, lack of adequate infrastructural and instructional facilities in schools coupled with poor teaching/learning habit. The paper therefore advocates among others as remedies to examination malpractices the imposition of tougher sanction against candidates or any perpetrators of examination frauds. Also, emphasis should be placed on skill accusation rather than paper qualification as it were in Nigerian society.

Ifijeh Goodluck , Happiness Michael-Onuoha

Examination malpractice is considered as a huge challenge to educational assessment and evaluation.This paper examines the dimensions and trends of examination malpractice, as well as the emergence of hi-tech examination malpractice (otherwise called e-cheating or digital cheating)in various levels of the Nigerian educational system.Causes, implications and strategies towards curbing the emerging phenomenon were discussed.The proliferation of mobile phones and other private digital assistants (PDAs) was identified as the driving factor for e-cheating.The paper also identified inadequate funding, corruption,issues bordering on morality and legality as challenges to curbing hi-tech examination malpractice in Nigeria. The involvement of all stakeholders in curbing this societal evil was recommended as the way forward

Ngohi B umar , Na'omi N. Adamu

Abstract Thestudyasasurveyidentifiedtheforms,causesandeffectsof examination malpractice on secondary schoolstudents in Borno State, Nigeria.Ithasalsodeterminedtherelationshipbetweengender,schooltype and examination malpractice.Three research questions and two nullhypotheseswereansweredandtestedinthestudy. A descriptivesurvey design wasadopted forthestudy.Thepopulation comprised ofallthe 198,625seniorsecondaryschoolstudentsinBornoState.However,2500SS IIIstudentsandteachersfrom publicandprivatesecondaryschoolsformed thesample.Stratifiedrandom samplingtechniquewasusedinselecting samplesbasedongender,educationalzones,schooltypeandlocation.An openendedselfdevelopedquestionnairetagged“Researcher’sExamination MalpracticeQuestionnaire”(REMQ)wastheinstrumentusedforthestudy. Frequencycounts,percentagesandrankorderingwereusedtoanalysedata on the research questions while Pearson ProductMomentCorrelation Coefficientwasusedtoanalysetheresearchhypothesesat0.05significant level.Itwasestablishedthatbringingforeign/alienmaterialsintoexam halls, impersonationandwritingondifferentpartsofthebody/clothes,poorstudy habit,leakageofexam questionpapersandlackofguidanceandcounselling services,dwindling/fallingstandardofeducation,cancellationofresultsand depletingthenationsesteem andintegrityweresomeoftheforms,causes andeffectsofexaminationmalpracticeinBornoState.Basedonthefindings ofthe study,the mitigating strategies proffered to haltthe menace of examination malpractice include:Making teaching-learning environment child-friendly,improvingtheconditionofserviceforteachers,re-enforcement oftheexistingexaminationmalpracticelawsandcounsellinginterventions. Keywords:Examination Malpractice,Forms,Causes,Effects,Ameliorative measures

Sunday Bright

International Journal of Education, Training and Learning

Chidimma Anya

emmanuel ejike

The moral issues in the society and the quest for certificate in the face of poor academic performance has been identified as some of the major causes of examination malpractices in Nigeria. This paper reviewed the remote causes, the various types and forms of examination malpractice especially at the university level, its effects and possible ways of curbing the menace. The research findings revealed an array of factors responsible for examination malpractice in Nigeria to includes what most respondents called " wrong value system which leads to serious quest for certification instead of knowledge and skills " , Laziness, lack of preparation or inadequate preparation for examination, lack of self confidence, poor school facilities, (Lack of or inadequate examination hall) poor sitting arrangement, socioeconomic factors, political-undertone, privatization and commercialization of education, poor invigilation, weak parental function e.t.c. Attitudinal or value change from certificate acquisition to knowledge acquisition, reduction in student population per invigilator, building of examination halls to accommodate sizeable number of students with wire net windows to forestall free flow of material to and fro the examination halls and a general change in societal value system and attitude in the educational system were advocated and recommended as measures to curve examination malpractice.

HENRY OWUSU

The study assessed the usage of effective Continuous Assessment Techniques in reducing examination malpractices in Nigerian schools rather than the use of one shot examination in Ilesa East Local Government Area of Osun State, Nigeria. The population for the study were teachers (in training and service.) The purposive sampling techniques were used to select the schools and the stratified random samplings were used to select the samples. The samples included 200 participants, consisting 100 males and 100 females Year II students-teacher in training from Osun state College of Education Ilesa and teachers in service in secondary schools. The study used descriptive survey design. The instruments used were Students' Questionnaire on Effective Continuous Assessment Techniques (SQECAT) and the Secondary School Teachers Questionnaire on Effective Continuous Assessment Techniques (SSTQECAT). Two research hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The hypotheses were tested using simple percentage and independent T-test statistical techniques. The results of the analysis showed that there is a significant difference in students' and teachers' adoption of Continuous Assessment (CA) as an alternative effective technique in reducing examination malpractices in Nigerian schools. On the basis of the results it was recommended among others that it would be better to adopt the effective and proper implementation of the techniques of Continuous Assessment in Schools as an alternative to one shot examination in Nigerian Schools which would help in reducing examination malpractices, make students work harder and make teachers become more innovative

ajogbeje oke james

This paper attempted to find out the perceptions of polytechnic students towards examination malpractice. The sample for the study consisted of 920 National Diploma [ND] and Higher National Diploma [HND] students of Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti randomly drawn from different subject disciplines. A questionnaire titled Examination Malpractice Perception Questionnaire (EMPQ) was used for the collection of necessary data. The data collected were analyzed using mean, standard deviation and Chi Square. The study revealed that many students have wrong concepts of examination malpractices. Some students see examination as an instrument of restriction on the ladder of success, hence the need to disobey any rules or regulations that may stand between them and success. The study therefore suggested that there is need to organize orientation lectures and seminars/talks on examination malpractice and corresponding sanctions to all students, at all levels of our educational system every semeste...

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Introduction

Education by and large intends to develop the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains of learners ( Asare-Danso, 2018). On the personal development subject, Anane and Asamoah-Gyimah (2014) stated that education priorities and processes are guided by societal needs, goals, and desires to prepare young people to fit into society. The pair emphasizes the significance of setting and achieving learning objectives while training students since learning outcomes are fully realized once students are aware of the construct validity of their academic performance as evidenced by grades. Examining is hence one of the processes used to determine one’s educational achievement, which is assessed by grades.

The History of Education in Ghana .

The history of education in Ghana has been associated with the coming and the activities of European Merchants on the Gold Coast now Ghana. The Portuguese who arrived first established schools intending to encourage the teaching of reading, writing, and the Catholic religion to the people in Elmina where they settled. Though there are no grounds to establish the success of the Portuguese, it is established that the English, Danish and Dutch organizations operated schools on the Gold Coast where the instruction was mainly reading, writing, and religious education (StateUniversity.com). However, not every child had the opportunity to attend the Castle schools except for the mulattoes or children of Ghanaian women who were married to European traders, children of prominent chiefs, and affluent merchants (McWilliam, 1962). The Christian missionaries needed a staff of educated local assistants to establish independent native churches and as a result contributed immensely to the commencement of formal education in Ghana (Vivian, 2016). To the Missionaries, education was necessary to be able to interpret the Bible into local languages to enable the Africans to have skills in Bible reading (Graham, 1971).

According to Abroampa (2007), the bedrock of education in Ghana throughout the colonial era has been a trilogy: religion, learning, and moral training. Nonetheless, the integration of religious education in the school curriculum was not exclusively on education but as well as historical and moral grounds.

It was as a result of the objectives of the Christian Missionaries that the Basel Missionary established the first teacher training college in Ghana, Presbyterian Training College in 1848 at Akropong-Akwapim. The Wesleyan and the Roman Catholic Missionaries followed suit to set up Wesley College in Kumasi, Holy Child Training College in Takoradi, and others. Since the focus was ecclesiastical and evangelical, apart from the special areas, the Bible was the foundation upon which religious, moral, and character training was dispensed (Abroaampa, 2007).

Ghana’s education and teacher training have faced several secularizations but there was no formal curriculum for religious, moral, or character development. The missionaries’ colleges formulated their structures for education exclusively on the Bible. Subsequently, cultural studies were introduced as a subject area to study in basic schools. Asare-Danso (2018) noted that Traditional African Education was a casual type of education that took place in the home where parents and adults in the community acted as teachers. Therefore, it was a collective mandate for everyone to teach and bring up children in a community. However, due to the emergence of religious pluralism and social dynamism, it became necessary to broaden the scope of education and religious and moral education. In support of the face rising consensus in society, the school has been mandated to address the issue of moral education with a united effort and a holistic approach to fight moral degeneration eating up the social fabric of Ghana (C.R.D.D, 1999).

In this vein, the Ghana Education Service in cooperation with the Curriculum Research and Development Division introduced Religious and Moral Education (RME) into the educational system throughout junior secondary schools and senior secondary schools in 1999 to replace Cultural Studies. The focus of Religious and Moral Education as a subject is on the moral values of the main religious bodies in Ghana comprising, African Traditional Religion, Christianity, and Islamic religion (Asiedu, 2009). It also has components of social and moral contents such as individual and collective rights and responsibilities, bribery and corruption, teenage pregnancy, drug abuse, etc which are shackles to the progress of the country. More importantly, the Code and Professional Conducts for teachers under Ghana Education Service has largely entrusted into the hands of teachers the education of children in Ghana and places teachers, whatever their role, in a special perspective of obligations, which requires an exceptionally high standard of behavior and conduct (Ghana Education Service, 2008).

Basic Education in Ghana

According to the Anamuah-Mensah Report (2002), the term “basic education” refers to the “minimum period of schooling needed to ensure that children acquire basic literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving skills, as well as skills for creativity and healthy living.” In the same vein, Alexander (2009) asserts that the primary objective of basic education is to provide students with a unique opportunity to learn basic life skills such as reading, writing, spelling, interpersonal communication, tolerance, respect, time management, and self-discipline. However, this can only be achieved if the quality is at the forefront.

Educators have not agreed on a generally accepted definition of quality education as there are no established methods for assessing educational progress to determine whether it is of high or low quality (Bawa, 2011). Nonetheless, UNESCO (2017) perceived quality education as issues such as adequate skill development, gender equality, availability of school infrastructure, adequate teaching equipment, materials and resources, scholarships, and teaching staff . This promotes access to quality education as a human right and advocates a rights-based approach in all educational activities (Pigozzi, 2004) and access to education that is not of high quality is a waste of time and money (Bawa, 2011).

The government of Ghana has recently revised the school curriculum to include the Senior High School in the basic education system, which formerly consisted of kindergarten (2 years), primary school (6 years), and junior high school (3 years). Pupils do not write national examinations after primary school and therefore do not receive any certificates, but are automatically promoted to junior high school. Junior high school graduates, on the other hand, take national examinations (Basic Education Certificate Examination, BECE) and are awarded certificates upon completion of year three. In short, pupils attend basic school for 11 years. The Constitution (1992) of Ghana guarantees the right to basic education in article 25 (1), which stipulates that “Basic education shall be free, compulsory and available to all.”

The government of Ghana has made frantic efforts over the years to introduce significant policies such as Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE), provision of infrastructure, promotion of gender equality, Capitation Grants, school feeding for primary schools, and providing free school uniforms for children from low-income homes in response to global development frameworks such as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Dakar Principles for Education for All (EFA).

Despite government efforts to improve access and quality through spending on education for all, the basic education system still faces unpleasant quality and equity challenges that prohibit thousands of children from going to school and learning (UNICEF, 2015). For example, poor children’s learning attainment; insufficient supply of trained and competent teachers; inadequate water and sanitation facilities; excessive class sizes; and a lack of teaching and learning resources exist in the basic schools, particularly schools in rural communities. These obstacles over the years have been reflected in the students’ abysmal performance in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and some including their teachers indulging in examination malpractices. However, there is some evidence that illustrates differences in student performance in the basic education certificate examination , which has been linked to the effectiveness of private individuals and institutions with better resources and encouraging their staff to do their best (Yeboah, 2014).

Deplorable Nature of Basic Schools

According to the 1992 constitution, “ the Government shall […] draw up the program for implementation over the next ten years for the provision of Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education,” the FCUBE was launched in October 1995 and was to be implemented over ten years (1996-2005). The policy was initiated to overcome some of the inadequacies of the past educational reform programs and to expand access to quality basic education in Ghana (Osifunke, 2018). The policy recommends the government provide free tuition, textbooks, teaching and learning materials, and subsidies for the cost of exercise books through the FCUBE program. It also covers the costs of Basic Education Certificate Education (BECE) for both public and private candidates. However, parents are required to enroll their school-age children, feed them, and supply them with school uniforms, school bags, stationery, and transportation if needed (Daily Graphic, Friday, November 17, 2000, 19; culled from; Akyeampong, 2009). The compulsory component showed the commitment to pressure parents to enroll their children throughout the entire period of basic education. At the inception, parents were threatened with fines for non-compliance, but without an enforcement plan, which amounted to an empty threat (MOE / GES 2001).

However, the overall implementation of the policy and other recent interventions have not been encouraging as a result of the tenacity of rural-urban inequities, especially the infrastructure and other essential teaching and learning resources as well as personnel as compared to urban Ghana. Some classrooms, especially in rural communities, deserve to be referred to as death traps that alienate both students and teachers from school. Because most of these structures are dangerous, some parents opt to keep their children at home or send them to work on farms instead of sending them to school. Where there are buildings, children sit on the floor with broken furniture and lie on the floor to write notes, while others sit in classrooms with potholes, making teaching and learning uncomfortable.

The rural-urban inequality gap is widening because the government’s social interventions, including those on education, are often implemented across the board with little regard for the unique context of rural communities and do not target the local needs, knowledge, and content that are critical for long-term outcomes (Anlimachie 2016). Long distances continue to be a barrier to equitable access to education in rural communities, as the majority of Ghana’s primary schools lack junior high schools. Whereas most junior high school communities are located further away from primary schools, making them inaccessible to students due to a poor transportation network (Amoako, 2010).

According to African Education Watch (2022), prioritizing some aspects of the education sector while ignoring others is counterproductive to meeting Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG-4) by 2030. The CEO of the civil society group emphasized that despite having nearly six million students enrolled in public basic schools (from primary through junior high school) in the country than in other forms of education, the sector receives a small portion of the GETFund disbursement. With almost 5,000 schools operating under trees, sheds, and dilapidated structures and 4,000 primary schools lacking JHS, the basic school level has the worst infrastructure deficit. This results in a high drop-out rate of up to 28 percent in underserved regions of the northern half of the country.

Concept of examination malpractice

Wilayat (2009) describes examination to consist of two distinct concepts: first, achieving the intended goal, and second, being a consistent and trustworthy means of measurement. Therefore, an anomaly or examination malpractice, renders the legitimacy and outcome questionable. The West African Examination Council (WAEC) is responsible for overseeing the pre-tertiary final-year examination in Ghana.

Examination malpractice, according to Azuru (2009), is unethical behavior committed by a test taker before, during, or after the test, typically to gain an unfair advantage or obtain an unjust grade. The WAEC (2003) defines examination malpractice as any unusual behavior displayed by candidates or anyone in charge of administering exams, within or outside the exam room, before, during, or after thAe exam. Recent examinations in Ghana have been plagued by question leaks and have become a seasonal topic of debate and undermine the credibility of the examination system. Nwana (2000) expanded on the WAEC definition by describing examination malpractice as a “massive and unprecedented abuse of rules and regulations on internal and external examinations, beginning with the setting of such examinations, through the taking of such examinations, their marking, and grading, to the release of the results and the issuance of certificates.” Kyeremeh, Graham, Fabea, and Dabone (2015) discovered that examination misconduct is still prevalent, with the majority of respondents admitting to having cheated in the past and saying they would cheat again if given the chance. Moreover, the repercussions of this ailment are not implausible; they are Machiavellian, gory, diabolical, and unpleasant.

Several studies have revealed that examination malpractice is pervasive in societies and that its consequences can be seen in the quality of human resources produced by their educational system; however, it’s frightening to realize that Ghana has not had trouble-free examinations in recent years. The fraud, which takes many forms and ranges from massive leaks, and invigilators writing on chalkboards for students to neck-stretching in exam halls, has frequently resulted in some schools having some or all of their papers canceled. To substantiate the impacts of examination malpractice on education, Jimoh (2009) disclosed in a study that countries known for examination malpractice have comatose education systems in terms of international cooperation in education.

Some of the factors that lead to examination malpractices include non-completion of syllabi, candidates’ inadequate examination preparation, candidates’ desperation to pass exams at all costs, the school’s performance standings, and laxity in prosecuting offenders (Adamu, 1998; Onyechere, 2008). It baffles me why the canker is a national phenomenon and an annual ritual yet nothing is being done about it. Those arrested in connection with the practice are frequently not heard from again after the exams are completed. What is unclear is whether they are subjected to the due process of the law, or whether the appropriate punishment is meted out to those found guilty. Examination malpractices have always existed in Ghana, according to the West African Examination Council’s annual press releases. Table 1 summarises the malpractice trend in the country for some years, showing the number of students involved in examination malpractices.

Table 1: Examination of Malpractice Trend in Ghana

Source: WAEC

According to Table 1, examination malpractice is more prevalent in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) than in the Basic Certificate Examination (BECE). The summation of the figures for both school exams is shown below.

Out of 82,682 candidates for the BECE and WASSCE, 28,712 were caught cheating in 2018. This figure increased to 51547 out of the 863,425 students who took both exams in 2019. However, the table demonstrates that the number of WASSCE candidates involved in the act (48855) was more than double that of the BECE. In 2020, the figure dropped dramatically to 4721 candidates out of 978,059 before rebounding slightly to 5,621 candidates out of 1018,519 in 2021.

Research Questions

What kind of exam fraud does the West African Examination Council encounter?
What are the causes of examination malpractices in Ghana?
Who is involved in examination malpractices in Ghana?

Research Design

A document analysis design was employed for the study and hence, extant data will be used for the analysis. Qualitative document analysis (QDA) is a research method that analyses the contents of written documents rigorously and systematically (Wach, Ward & Jacimovic 2013). Researchers regard it as a versatile tool for analyzing text data (Cavanagh, 1997). The huge volume of material already written on this issue influenced the selection of qualitative data. To do this, content analysis was employed to carefully select relevant material from the WAEC and other authors with authority that provided significant information on examination misconduct in Ghana for the analysis of this study. The data used, ranged from 2018 to 2021. The study aimed to examine examination malpractices between 2018 to 2021 in Ghana to answer the research questions.

Data Collection

The goal of this study was to explore examination malpractices in Ghana to determine their nature, their root causes, and the individuals who commit these malpractices during the numerous exams that the West African Examination Council administered between 2018 and 2021. Existing documents and archives from the West African Examination Council and authoritative articles were purposively selected via the internet and qualitatively analyzed to determine examination malpractices in Ghana. The emphasis was on the abstracts, introductions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations. This method was adopted and deemed suitable because of the sensitivity of examination malpractice and the amount of research conducted in the area in Ghana.

Data analysis.

The study considered only relevant data that could be used to answer the research questions, and data thinning was performed to extract the relevant data to examine the nature of examination malpractice and identify the caliber of people who engage in the act. The data was then organized into smaller units following the study questions that had been prepared for coding after the researcher had found patterns and frequent sequences in the data. Reading over the material and carefully noting concept repetitions was how the coding was carried out. Using this approach, the researcher was able to collect and analyze data in line with the study’s research questions. The findings were then summarised into a logical report, making inferences and drawing conclusions.

Developing Themes

The major themes that were identified during data interpretation include:

the nature of examination malpractice in Ghana

This study showed that examination malpractices take several forms in Ghana. In a WAEC press release (September 2, 2022) concerning the conduct of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates in 2022 and emerging issues, the following issues were highlighted: impersonation, syndicate cheating in schools, smuggling of mobile phones into examination halls by candidates, restriction of access to school compounds for monitoring purposes as the major trends of examination malpractices. WAEC (2014, 2018, and 2019) further indicated that “script conspiracy” constitutes the most common type of examination malpractice in the WASSCE.

A study by Achio, Ameko, Kutsanedzie, Alhassan, & Ganaa (2012) examined the forms, contributing causes, and major participants in examination misconduct as well as the effects and countermeasures. The descriptive survey classified test misconduct into the following categories: writing on things and applicants’ bodies; leaks; impersonation; cheating; plagiarism; falsified course work; using programmable calculators and other technological devices during the examination; concealing materials in washrooms, pockets, private parts, and pen corks to be used as reference materials; giraffe; illegally assisting candidates and colluding with members of staff to replace the original answered script with a pre-prepared answered script. The report indicated once more that between 2000 and 2011, various kinds of examination misconduct increased from 5 to 12, representing a 140% rise. Moreover, the study demonstrated that close to 37% of respondents have ever been involved in malpractice, and 94.5% agreed that examination malpractice is unethical.

Similarly, a study conducted by Folson & Awuah (2014) on combating examination malpractices in the Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE) in Ghana asserted that examination questions leak a couple of weeks through advertisements on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media to attract customers, mostly heads of schools and proprietors and that invigilators act as conduits between the cheating students and the smuggling of the solutions to the exam halls. The study’s findings show that the leaking cartel comes in two types: first- and second-source. First-sourced cartels claim that WAEC officials are their primary source of questions, which they pass on to second-sourced cartels. It is also claimed that second-sourced cartels transmit them to other interested cartels, generally with the solution to the leaked questions. The first-sourced cartels are said to pay between GH 2,000 and GH 2,500 for each sheet and sell them to second-sourced cartels for between GH 1,000 and GH 1,500. Most second-source cartels often answer the questions and sell them directly to schools or third-source cartels for between GH700 and GH1, 000 per paper, enriching these cartels with large sums of money each year and constantly looking for ways to circumvent WAEC’s modalities for preventing cheating in their examinations.

causes of examination malpractices

Many reasons for exam malpractice have been discovered via research. According to Tawiah, Alberta, Bossman, and Ata (2015), one of the reasons students are involved in examination fraud is the pressure to meet high parental demands for excellent results. Adamu, Cobbinah, and Alhassan (2021) attributed examination malpractice to bad study habits, a desire to avoid failure, anxiety, and panic, and a lack of academic competence in their assessment of the factors causing Senior High students’ involvement in examination malpractice in the Takoradi Metropolis of Ghana. The study also linked exam fraud to incompetent teachers, inability to cover the syllabus, bad teaching methods, inadequate seating arrangements, the congested aspect of the examination room, and teachers’ lack of topic expertise.

Ampofo (2020) categorized the factors that promote examination malpractices in Ghana into teachers, students, parents, and the environment. Under the teachers’ factors, the researcher found a lack of mastery skills in teaching, bad teaching techniques, inadequate teachers’ textbooks, untrained teachers, and an inability to cover the required syllabus. The investigation also discovered students’ lack of self-motivation, improper examination preparation, poor efficacy, poor study habits, and a lack of desire, low academic competence, and relationships with peers who tend to cheat and need to avoid failure. Moreover, the study found that improper parental training at home, deficient parental supervision, a lack of basic learning resources, parents purchasing exam materials for students, and parents giving exam officials money in exchange for assistance for their kids are all contributing factors to examination malpractice in Ghana. Furthermore, the study discovered that the crowded character of the examination rooms, as well as the location of examination centers in distant places with limited access for complete monitoring, are environmental factors influencing examination malpractices. Studies show that most examination facilities have traditional seating arrangements (snake-like), often rows of fixed seats with students facing the invigilator and with their backs to one another. This seating arrangement is common in colleges and effective in reducing student-student interaction. However, because examination rooms are usually crowded, students can easily copy from one another.

Arhin (2020) researched the perceived factors causing BECE exam malpractices among students in Asante Akim North District. Using Krejcie and Morgan’s (1970) sample size determination table, he selected 132 teachers from a target population of 200. The study discovered that students and schools engage in examination misconduct to appear at the top of their zones and other levels, owing to the attention that comes with it.

Individuals Implicated in Examination Malpractice

A significant number of studies have cited several people who engage in examination malpractices. According to a WAEC press release (September 16, 2022), teachers, students, and invigilators are the primary perpetrators of exam malpractice in Ghana. Achio et al. (2012) named the ensuing persons implicated in examination fraud: examination bodies; school proprietors; teachers and supervisors; parents and guardians; examination servicers; students and candidates; and examiners and examination managers. However, Adamu et al. (2015) contend that the majority of examination malpractices are committed by students for a variety of reasons, including poor study habits, a desire to avoid failure, anxiety, panic, and low academic ability.

Conclusions and Recommendations

Examination malpractice in Ghana comes in different forms including impersonation, syndicate cheating in schools, candidates sneaking mobile phones into exam rooms, collusion over scripts, writing on objects and students’ bodies, leaks, illegal assistance given to students by invigilators, denying exam monitors access to school grounds, and plagiarism. This implies that everyone participating in examination administration must be skilled, vigilant, accountable, and empowered to assist remove the aforementioned examination malpractices. WAEC must pick invigilators who are trustworthy, capable of withstanding financial pressure, and knowledgeable, rather than teachers who are also complicit in the act.

The study also determined that the most common causes of malpractice in Ghana are the pressure to meet high parental demands for excellent results, bad study habits, a desire to avoid failure, anxiety, and panic, a lack of academic competence, improper parental training at home, deficient parental supervision, a lack of basic learning resources, inadequate seating arrangements, the congested nature of the examination rooms, bad teaching techniques, and schools’ desire to come on top of ranking tables. WAEC should collaborate with the Ghana Education Service to make the cheating policy available to students at all levels of education, including the punishment for cheaters if they are trapped. WAEC must also adopt the snake-like seating arrangement with 1.50 cm spacing as the standard arrangement for the country’s standardized examinations.

The study identified individuals involved in examination malpractice in Ghana, including examination administrators, class teachers, students, and parents. The practice has become a cankerworm gnawing deeply into the fabric of the educational system in Ghana, with horrifying consequences such as a social and economic impact on people and jeopardizing the reputation of academic degrees in the country. The West African Examination Council should therefore be much concerned about the behavior of their employees and implement a policy that will subject invigilators to a thorough search before accessing examination halls to prevent them from smuggling mobile phones and foreign material into the examination halls.

The Ghana Education Service should promote an innovative, practical, and vocational education system rather than a theory-based. The education strategy must be devised to connect theory with practice to develop graduates with practical and vocational knowledge, and the existing ranking system used to evaluate schools must be abolished.

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Write An Essay On Examination Malpractice | A Bane to Education

Examination malpractice, a scourge that has permeated the educational system worldwide and particularly in Nigeria, presents a significant threat to the development of a robust and equitable society. This essay aims to dissect the root causes, implications, and potential solutions for this deeply ingrained issue. Amidst the landscape of academic achievement, examination malpractice emerges as a destructive force, undermining the integrity of education and the value of genuine knowledge acquisition.

Table of Contents

Essay: The Plague of Examination Malpractice: A Closer Look

Examination malpractice is a deeply concerning issue, one that corrodes the very foundations of our educational system. It is the act of violating rules and regulations set for examinations, often characterized by dishonest actions such as cheating, plagiarism, impersonation, collusion, and the leakage of exam questions.

Dynamics (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); of Examination Malpractice

Examination malpractice is not an isolated incident, but a product of various underlying factors. The pressure to excel academically often pushes students into the abyss of malpractice. This pressure is often a combination of societal expectations and parental pressure. Moreover, poor study habits, inadequate preparation, and fear of failure also contribute to students resorting to unethical means during examinations. Furthermore, insufficient supervision and lax examination procedures raise opportunities for malpractice, highlighting the need for stringent monitoring mechanisms in the examination system.

The Impact on Students and the Educational System

Examination malpractice is not without consequences. For students, it erodes academic integrity, undermines personal growth, and reduces self-esteem. Over-reliance on dishonest means during exams can greatly affect a student’s learning outcomes and knowledge acquisition. The long-term effects can be severe, leading to limited career prospects and a tainted reputation.

The education system also suffers from examination malpractices. The credibility and fairness of the system take a substantial hit. It creates an environment where the hard work of honest students is devalued, and it discourages effort and diligence. Further, it hampers the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills, integral for the progress of any society.

Addressing Examination Malpractice

The fight against examination malpractice requires collective action from all stakeholders. Strengthening examination procedures and ensuring strict supervision is a vital step. A culture of academic integrity and ethical conduct should be promoted among students. Innovative teaching and learning methods need to be encouraged to diminish the dependency on rote memorization. A system of consequences and penalties, including academic and legal, should be enforced effectively against those found guilty of examination malpractices.

In conclusion, examination malpractice is a gloomy shadow that looms over the educational system, eating into the integrity of the system and negatively affecting students and society as a whole. A combined effort from education institutions, policymakers, parents, and students is needed to pull education out of this quagmire and restore faith in the system.

Hello! Welcome to my Blog StudyParagraphs.co. My name is Angelina. I am a college professor. I love reading writing for kids students. This blog is full with valuable knowledge for all class students. Thank you for reading my articles.

Causes and solutions to the problem of examination malpractice

write an essay on the topic examination malpractice

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Examination malpractice has become rampant in Nigeria; continued to degrade the standard and good quality of education of the country.

The situation has become worrisome considering how the malpractice is affecting the performance of our students both socially and academically.

Indeed, education is the master of all development if it is excellently undergone through the laid down procedures, and whenever something goes wrong from normal procedures the yielded results might not be good enough. The situation that makes Nigeria to be left behind in times of national development is because the sector is full of corrupt malpractices.

The situation makes me so angry because the authorities fold their hands and continue to look at the issue without taking proper measures. Virtually, the issue of examination malpractice has taken over the country from all levels of education especially the secondary schools.

During the national examination, mostly teachers help the students by copying on the board, dictate or prepare worked answers for the students to copy.

Sometimes, students are even hired to write exams for others. Students take textbooks into and swap papers in the examination halls knowingly by their teachers.

The worse part of it is that, miracles centres are now introduced even those who can not read and write can get nine credit, while those who are not able to write at the centres still pay the centres to provide them with answers prior to the examination date hence they have it ready, and the examination authorities and its related agencies are aware of such centres but nothing has been done yet to curb the menace.

Laziness on the part of the students is one of the remote causes of examination malpractice in Nigerian schools, nowadays, students find it difficult to study their books either at home or school, lack of confidence in students when students who are less prepared surpass the exam scores of those who exhibit honest actions during an exam, is a major clog in the wheel of the educational system in Nigeria.

Maduemezia (2003) reported that the first examination malpractice in Nigeria occurred in 1914 during the Senior Cambridge Local Examination papers which were leaked before the scheduled date of examination.

Thus, examination malpractice which started at a low trend became more pronounced in 1970, involving persons other than the candidates. Since then examination malpractice became more advanced and sophisticated.

However, 1977 marked a watershed in the history of examination malpractice as there was an outcry in Nigeria on the credibility of West African Examination Council (WAEC), which was the only organ saddled with the responsibility of conducting the public examination in Nigeria.

Within the past, two to three years cases of examination malpractice have been too rampant in virtually all levels of education in the country, with those of the secondary school being most alarming.

The WAEC or NECO withheld the results of quite a large number of schools found to have been involved in examination malpractice in every yearly examination.

Traced to its root, there are apparent pointers to the alarming fact that parents, school authorities, examination invigilators, examination officers and amazingly too, maybe security agents sent to schools by the examination board to assure sanity in the conduct of the examination hall collaborate to allow examination malpractices, Parents have a vital role to play in their children education. As a parent, you have to pay attention to your child education because you are your child’s first and most important teacher, especially Mothers!

Mothers spend most of their time taking care of the children she knows them more than the father. So, mothers should pay attention to them.

Whenever your child closes from school after rest, ask the child what he was taught in school you should put it in jovial manner like ‘My son/daughter I want you to teach me what your teacher taught you today because I never went to school’ when your child hears that you have never been in class that would make him be confident to say out all that he knows. You will improve your child education by encouraging your child to read and also revise what he was taught in school, encourage your child to be responsible and work independently, make sure that your child gets homework done or find homework help for your child if needed.

Furthermore, when parents and families are involved in their children’s academics, the children do better and have better feelings about going to school.

Remuneration must adequate at all levels of educational institutions to promote hard work and commitment to duties. The government and school administrators should constantly organize seminars and workshops to educate the students, lecturers, parents and even the administrators on the consequences of examination malpractice.

The government that attempted to combating the hydra-headed social vice in the country did not live long enough to effect it desires.

Yunus wrote from the Department of Mass Communication, University of Maiduguri.

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Project Topic – CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF EXAMINATION MALPRACTICE IN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING IN NIGERIA

Click here to Get this Complete Project Chapter 1-5

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Examination has been generally accepted as the best means of assessment. It is a formal test of knowledge or ability. Infact, in a school setting, examination is a means of evaluating the quantity of knowledge a student has acquired within a specific period of time. Adekunle (2003) sees examination as an instrument used for the assessment of individual skills and knowledge-content, both in general and specific area of study. Additionally, common observations in the state shows that examination malpractices occur mostly in higher Institutions. Examination malpractices occur in both internal and external examination which is almost a routine to cheat in these examinations.

Teaching and learning become more effective when the students are subjected to an examination process to determine the extent to which the students have assimilated the content of the instruction given and the lecturer can also assess himself from the performance of the students. In essence, examinations are used to determine pass or fail of a student or group of students in the opinion. History seems to support the view that setting children against one another in trials and competitions has always been a respectable means of inciting them of deal’’. A student who knows that he might fall on examination which will in turn determine his progress or promotion will strive hard in order to pass. This once more encourages kind of competition within groups of students who will dim at nigh position in their classes.

Examinations are also used for academic stratification or for assigning grades to students. For decade, the West Africa Examination Council awards results on the basis of some stratification’s and three. The contemporary practice of (N.C.E). Students are stratified into distinction, credit merit and pass, while in the university also, students are stratified into first, second (upper and lower) or third class degrees having gone through an examination. These grades are a measure of success and prestige. A child with a division one pass in school certificate examination will be regarded by those around him as academically precocious. He is also likely to have a place in the institution of higher learning or in job situation within the society easier than a child with a division three pass. All these conditions have combined to influence a child’s attitude to an examination; attitude which always colonnade in an urge for success in any particular examination whether or not he had prepared for it. These competitions in school have their parallel in the society.

Unfortunately, this all important means of assessing students has become ineffective as all forms of malpractice have been introduced into the system. Adesina (2000) traced the history of examination malpractice in Nigeria to 1914. When there was a leakage of the Cambridge examination. Cheating became widespread in schools hence in 1967, the Alexander Commission was set up as a special commission of inquiry to investigate the incidences of malpractice in Nigeria.

In 1977, there was a widespread leakage of the West Africa School Certificate Examination questions. Government took it as a challenge to address issues of examination malpractice. A special conference was held in that regard at Ibadan in 1986. Decrees were promulgated, schools were sanctioned, results cancelled and invigilators arrested all in a bid to curb malpractice.

The irony of it all is that despite the several attempts made by school authorities, government agencies, parents and church leaders in trying to concentise the Nigerian students on the evils of examination malpractice, this menace is still in its increase in the various schools. There is the need to find out the causes and solutions of examination malpractice in Nigerian schools.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

From the background given to this study, it could be seen that examination plays an important role in our educational system as well as the society we live in but hones examinations are hard to find nowadays. Malpractices in examinations have been reported since 1914 when there was a leakage or question papers in the senior Cambridge local examination. Ever since, there have been cases of irregularities reported on a yearly basis. The statement of the problem therefore Causes and effects of Examination Malpractices in higher Institutions of learning.

In order to be able to effectively investigate the main problems as stated above the following sub problems are to be investigated.

What are the examination malpractices in Higher institutions in Yaba Local Government of Lagos State?
What are the different factors involve in examination malpractices in Higher institutions in Yaba Local Government of Lagos State?
What Conditions Sustain Examination Malpractice in Nigeria?
What are the Dangers and Consequences of Examination Malpractices?
What effects has examination malpractices on the students, the school and the society in general?

1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

Examination malpractices have been on the increase since 1963’s, these malpractices indulgent learn new tactics or methods of the crime. The purpose of this study therefore is to investigate into some important expects of examination malpractice’s. This study will help specifically to find out:

The reasons why students cheat at examinations.
The method at student use in cheating at examination.
The extent of the involvement of the society, lecturers, parents

and the students on the malpractices.

The effect of examination malpractice’s on the students, the school and the society at large.
The different factors involve in examination malpractices in Higher institutions in Yaba Local Government of Lagos State.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

On the basis of the problems, the following Research Questions were formulated:

What causes examination malpractice in schools?
What subjects are students likely to cheat in and why?
How can examination malpractice be stopped?
What strategies can be adopted to stop exam malpractice in schools?
Are students unserious attitude towards studying hard enough are most likely to cause cheating in an examination?
SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

This study will be significant in the following ways:

It will be of immense benefit to all stakeholders in the educational circle.
It is hoped that at the end of this study, the finding of the study will be very useful to Educators, students and the society at large in eliminating the barriers on Examination malpractice.
The findings of this study will help expose the extent to which students, parents and lecturers are involved in examination malpractices.
It is also hoped that the findings of this study will help to provide a remedy or a lasting solution to examination malpractices.
It is expected that the research findings, will guide educators who can suggest ways of eliminating the sources of examination malpractices.

1.6 SCOPE AND DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

This study covered Causes and effects of Examination Malpractices in higher Institutions of learning. And all the secondary lecturers and students in higher institutions in Yaba Local Government Area of Lagos State were used for the study.

1.7 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

This study is limited to investigation of the Causes and solutions of Examination Malpractice in Selected Secondary School in Yaba Local Government Area of Lagos State as a case study of this research work.

1.8 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS

Assessment: Are the systematic collection, review, and use of information about educational programs undertaken for the purpose of improving student learning and development.

Examination: Examinations are used to determine pass or fail of a student or group of students in the opinion. Examinations are also used for academic stratification or for assigning grades to students.

Malpractice: malpractice is an “instance of negligence or incompetence on the part of a professional”. Types include: medical malpractice (“A doctor’s failure to exercise the degree of care and skill that a physician or surgeon of the same medical specialty would use under similar circumstances.

Teaching: It can be defined by many scholars of education as “the promotion of learning”. Teaching is the art of impacting knowledge.

Learning : It can be defined as the acquisition of knowledge or skills through experience, study, or by being taught. Is the act, process, or experience of gaining knowledge or skill.

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Project topic – psychoactive substance use among students and it’s associated risky behaviour, full project – an examination on the impact of strict supervision on teachers’ effectiveness in some selected secondary schools in adamawa state, full project – evaluation of narcotic substance use among senior secondary school students in nigeria.

Expository essay on Examination Malpractice

Introduction.

Jump ahead to:

Examination malpractice is defined as any intentional misconduct that violates examination standards and is intended to provide a candidate with an unfair advantage. It is commonly known as cheating. It is the criminal conduct that students engage in during exams to improve their grades by cutting corners. Misconduct causes significant harm to pupils because many of them neglect their books, intending to perform the magic they are accustomed to performing in every examination.

Examination misconduct in the educational system has been widely disputed and seen as a serious problem not just by examination boards but also by school administrators, the educational system as a whole, the government, and society at large. Many of these anomalies or misconducts revolve around the examination. They have increased at an alarming rate over the previous three decades.

It is now expected that there is a standard practical method of passing an examination.

Examining Malpractices in Various Forms

The following are some examples of examination malpractice:

Leakage: This occurs when the content of an examination is revealed before taking the test. It usually entails inspecting authority personnel, printers, proofreaders, and messengers.
Impersonation: When a person who is not enrolled as a candidate for a specific examination takes the place of someone who is. This is usually accomplished through collaboration between the chief examiner and the examination supervisor. It typically involves tertiary institution students taking the test in exchange for monetary compensation or a favor for a girl or boyfriend.
Foreign Material Smuggling: This is possibly the most widespread type of misconduct. It refers to the illicit introduction of materials (e.g., parts or entire notebooks, textbooks, microchips, and answers) into the test hall. Foreign materials are smuggled into pants, shoes, hems, and bras, dropped or fastened in the examination hall before the exam, or even smuggled by candidates or their helpers.
Plagiarism: Copying from another candidate’s work, with or without permission.
Makers Malpractice: Willful manipulation of marks with the intent of inflating or deflating a candidate’s original marks. Either exam officials or candidates can start this.

Misbehavior During Examination

Bringing unlawful materials related to the examination being taken into the examination hall.
Copying with cooperation
“Giraffing” is copying without cooperation.
Presenting identical responses/answers to the same question(s) by two or more students, even if the question(s) has been canceled.
All kinds of communication during an examination, such as passing or dropping papers and collecting or picking papers, and the appearance of different handwriting in a student’s script.
Courier: The smuggling of exam question papers or materials from or to the examination hall.
Reading notes or textbooks in the restroom or outside is prohibited during the relevant examination.
Mobile phones and data or information storage devices are not permitted in examination halls.

Recommendations

Based on the research following are the recommendations to reduce examination misconduct

Students who commit examination misconduct are determined to be academically deficient. The flaw might be traced back to a shaky base in their educational ladder. Consequently, it is advised that improvements be made in education delivery, particularly at the foundation, i.e., primary and secondary levels.
To combat the new wave of e-cheating, a restriction on the use of mobile phones, BBs, and IPADs in examination halls should be implemented.
Stakeholders should stop paying for examination malpractice services. Religious and community leaders should intervene on behalf of parents who insist on their children receiving the greatest possible outcome without making genuine attempts to achieve it.
The rigor and schedule of examinations should be examined so that when a student legitimately complains about being unable to write a test, he can do so. Another suitable time should be organized for him, perhaps in summer exams; this will eliminate the phobia of failure, resulting in impersonation and other forms of malpractice.

Examination malpractice occurs in all types of examinations, and cheating in these examinations is a routine. Everyone continues to this cankerworm in the school system, and all punishments put in place to deter it are near, if not wholly, ineffectual.

The factors could be traced to the social value system, candidate behavior, parental behaviour, and the educational system. The repercussions could be disastrous for both the education system and society.