Education is the key to success, but in Nigeria, there is something problematic about the educational system. In Nigerian secondary schools, answers are often given to students during SSCE examinations. Are we helping them? Rather, we are cheating them.
I was an invigilator during the 2015/2016 NECO examination in Gombe State. Invigilators would issue one question paper to the school examination officer, who would then find a professional to solve the questions and photocopy the answers to share with the students. Some school candidates would not even attend the examinations, and corrupt invigilators would issue question papers and answer booklets to teachers, who would solve them outside the examination hall and then return them to the invigilator, who would mark attendance for the absent candidates.
Students, parents, and the government ought to know and take necessary action to fix the problem of malpractice, as this is where corruption begins. As the wise saying goes, “You can’t give what you don’t have.” Fellow Nigerians, we must call a spade a spade: examination malpractice is a sin. The perpetrators should be ready to answer questions in the hereafter.
As teachers, we need to teach students, not cheat them. “Sin is a sin, even if the whole world is doing it.” I also used to mark NECO scripts, and students’ answer scripts were full of ‘copy and paste.’ You would see the same work, and in some instances, the same mistakes – a clear indication of malpractice.
I marked NECO scripts from Kwara State in 2016 and Kano State in 2017. A friend of mine marked scripts from Niger State in 2016 and Rivers State in 2017. We shared the same experience: examination malpractice is rampant across the nation.
There are schools considered “special centers” because candidates always get the desired credits or distinctions to secure university admission. Those who are lucky enough to get admission often underperform in university and thus “graduate” unceremoniously.
When we help or allow our secondary school students to cheat in exams, what do we expect them to do in the future when they find themselves in positions of authority? Assuming a student becomes a medical doctor, the impact of the malpractice will manifest in the work and service they provide to society.
The examination bodies (NECO/WAEC) should be aware of the malpractices taking place in secondary schools, as question papers and answers often leak on social media a day before each exam. Where do these leaks come from? The Federal Ministry of Education and concerned authorities need to intervene.
Thanks.
Khalifa Umar Bappah
07065590085
khalifaumarb@gmail.com
