No one is in doubt that exam malpractice damages our educational sector. Perhaps what is often not apparent is the wider implications of exam malpractice on a nation’s overall development. Exam malpractice is one of the ugly manifestations of corruption. In fact, it is safe to argue that in terms of scale and impact on society, exam malpractice and systemic corruption are two sides of a coin. It is therefore not surprising that cheating in exams at all educational levels is becoming more entrenched as corrupt practices become more endemic.
Cheating in exams is a global phenomenon but mass cheating and syndicated malpractice are associated with developing countries. In Nigeria and many African countries, the problem has attained a disgraceful height. So bad is the impact on our psyche that we sometimes question whether the results that we see in recent years are a true reflection of a candidate’s academic achievement. Genuine students who have earned their success through hard work have a shadow cast over their hard-earned results due to reasons beyond their control. This is clearly not acceptable.
Exam malpractice compromises our ability to function optimally because some of those who hold positions of responsibility lacked the discipline to apply themselves or were outrightly lacking in the mental capacity required to progress to the highest academic attainment they now hold and on which basis they became occupants of their current positions.
At the West African Examination Council (WAEC) stakeholders summit in 2017, it was posited that when students cheat their way to become professionals, patients die at the hands of such doctors, buildings collapse at the hands of such engineers, money is lost at the hands of such economists and bankers, humanity dies in the hands of such religious scholars and justice is lost at the hands of such judges.” This is the real cost of exam malpractice!
Things didn’t deteriorate to this level overnight. Those who took advantage of the system when exam malpractice was insignificant have now become key stakeholders in the administration of examinations. It is not surprising therefore that all efforts have proved ineffective in taming the monster of exam malpractice. A solution that will be effective will require clever thinking. The kind that can result in a technological breakthrough, capable of putting a wedge between those who engage in malpractice and their collaborators.