Examination Malpractice: The Bane of the 21st Century Nigerian Higher Institutions

Abstract

Examination malpractice has been a serious threat to the survival of the Nigerian higher education. It poses a serious challenge to the 21^st century Nigerian higher institutions. Examination Malpractices has been entrenched in our educational system that many higher institutions in Nigeria are ready to spend any amount of money to stamp it out. It however, appears to have defied any solution. This has resulted in many graduates of Nigerian higher institutions rated very low in terms of job performance and academic prowess, since many of them are regarded as product of large-scale examination malpractice with cheap certificates. The problem has placed the country in a precarious situation which is regrettable and needs immediate attention. The paper therefore examined examination malpractice as the bane of 21^st century Nigeria higher institutions. The paper discussed the forms of examination malpractice, Causes and Effects of examination malpractice and ways of eliminating it in Nigerian higher institutions. The paper concluded that though examinations in Nigerian higher institutions have been denigrated, there will be no alternative to examinations in Nigerian higher institutions since it is the only route to certification of a student’s character and learning. The following recommendations were made. There should be enough invigilators/ lecturers during examinations to avoid the current situation where some students start examination in their own hall much earlier than the other halls for the same course due to lack of enough invigilators. And examination must start on schedule in all the halls to avoid students running away with answer scripts to another hall or into the bush. There is need for the government to properly equip all Nigerian higher institutions to avoid congestion in examination halls as well as avoid situations where students share desks and question paper because they do not have enough. Adequate security should be provided for all examination material and invigilators to avoid leakage either before or during examinations among others.

Keywords: Examination Malpractice, Forms, Causes, Effects, Ways of eliminating Examination Malpractice