Over the years, examination malpractice has remained a scourge in Nigeria’s education system. On several occasions, during external examinations such as Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) and Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), students, parents, teachers, school administrators/owners and even examiners have been found to be collaborators in the unholy conduct.
In recent years, it has become so widespread, even to the extent of being a norm. On Thursday, June 1st, the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) announced that it has arrested 15 persons comprising students, proprietor and teachers over their involvement in examination malpractice in the ongoing 2023 May/June Senior Secondary Certificate Examination.
WAEC Head of National Office (HNO) in Nigeria, Mr Patrick Areghan, disclosed this in Abuja, during the monitoring of the ongoing May/June examination in some government secondary schools within the city.
”I am happy to announce that so far in this exam, we have made a lot of arrests. We made arrest in Ibadan, Maiduguri, Abeokuta, Osogbo, Umuahia and many other states,” he said.
Such cases abound. Last month, it was reported that WAEC fined 147 private schools in Ebonyi state ₦250,000 each, for alleged involvement in examination malpractices.
Earlier this year, a director of examinations in the Gombe state ministry of education, Ali Yaya, disclosed that WAEC sanctioned 13 secondary schools in the state over cases of examination malpractice.
Yaya was also quoted as saying, “From 2018 to 2020, seven of our public senior secondary schools were found to be involved in exam malpractice which led to their de-recognition by the WAEC.”
In January 2021, the National Examination Council (NECO) deregistered 12 schools for engaging in examination malpractices during the 2020 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).
In September 2020, the Police force headquarters in Abuja paraded 17 teachers for allegedly involving in malpractices in the August/September West African Examination Council (WAEC) examinations across the country.
In May the same year, the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) indicted 195 candidates who it said engaged in a series of examination infractions.
WAEC head in Nigeria, Mr. Areghan attributed this ugly trend to complicity on the side of examination officials. He said, “Supervisor are our problems, they make a lot of money from this.”
A parent, Hajiya Aisha Baba called on government at all levels to put measures in place, to check the menace. This she said, would prevent the nation’s education from total collapse.
“I call on government, through state and federal ministries of education and other relevant agencies to be up and doing. They should ensure that our teachers do their job by teaching our children very well, and carry out effective monitoring during exams, as well as sanction defaulters accordingly,” she said.
On his part, a teacher, Mr. Kenneth Fashola said that poor remuneration of teachers also contributes to examination malpractice. “A situation where teachers are not well paid, they are not being appreciated and encouraged, what do you expect?
“Most teachers do not cover their scheme of work because nothing motivates them. So, during exams, they’re left with no option than to demand for money to help the students. And some parents willingly pay. In my opinion, prioritising teachers’ welfare will reduce exam malpractice drastically,” he said.
Corruption and mediocrity which have eaten deep into the fabrics of our nation, starts with examination malpractice at foundational level. Education remains the bedrock of societal development. For Nigeria to realise her potential therefore, the education sector must be revamped. And examination malpractice must be fought to a standstill.
