The future of any country as such are the youths who are currently undergoing construction. Education, we all know creates an edge over the average man in the society. This “Education” comprises more than just seeing the four walls of any tertiary institutions.
Education could be formal or informal as it could also consists of facts, ideas learned aside the usual process of impacting knowledge which majority believes to be the very way of the school system in Nigeria. Practically speaking, Education shouldn’t be a form of competition or whatnot. This is solely because thousands of different individual have different several means they perceive and judge situations. Hence the quote of late Albert Einstein says it all “Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
Sadly, this has been the very method of the current Nigeria educational system.
More than a hundred students are being placed in the same faculty and department from the day one. A lot might argue that these students have solely choosed this discipline and should be ready and willing to learn in it’s accord. But nevertheless, we are aware of the JAMB and POST JAMB examination system that is a pre entrance examination into a tertiary institution.
This pre examination system of JAMB and POST JAMB have so created a situation where students are offered what they hadn’t applied for thus adding more undue pressure to these students when they resume.
Again in most cases, allow me to bring to book the very fact that most parents wants their children to study a particular course in the tertiary institution and as such, force their child into either the science class or the arts class in accordance to what they have in mind for these children. Most times these parents do not acknowledge the capability of their children before making such decisions for them. In this regards, such parents goes to any length to see that this child scales over the very O’level examination known as WAEC/NECO in Nigeria.
So, it’s important to note that examination malpractice isn’t just about peeping over someone else’s book during examination in schools and tertiary institutions. Examination malpractices in Nigeria simply covers a whole lot. And this very canker worm doesn’t apply to students alone, parents, pastors, lecturers, Vice Chancellors, provosts, teachers, principals and shockingly the Nigeria system of education are the mask behind the very issue of examination malpractice.
Having established that fact, let’s move on to how these directly or indirectly affect and compel students.
As mentioned earlier, the jungle system of the Nigeria tertiary institution states that every student is mandated to pass (wheather brilliant or not) because that’s the only thing to prove to the world/society; a good certificate after graduation.
Now these sect of students that rarely attend lectures probably because of the fact that the lecture halls are compacted or maybe because most lectures end up giving out handouts alone after taling their life histories or maybe because they are scared to learn a course they did not bargain for or even simply because they have made up their mind not to attend classes.
The main aim in the minds of these different sects of students listed above still remains the same and it is nothing else but “scaling past examination”. These students are not bothered about the teaching learning factor that is the major reason for Education. Sadly, they are more concerned with the outcome of proper education hence examination malpractice comes to play.
Again, school children that are under the dictatorship of their parents would simply do less to survive in school with bold assurance that they have their parents blessings. These parents would then enroll them in private schools that are ready to admit any student that has proved to be buoyant monetarily throwing caution to the wind and neglecting the very purpose of a school Guidance and Counselor. These same students would end up going to “Special Miracle Centers” for their O’level examination and then later on find their way through “connection” into any tertiary institutions in the country while the aiding siding parent continues with what they have started, paying off lectures to give extra points to their wards who has no or little interest in that field of study. Particular courses that attracts this most is Medicine, Law, and Engineering and the rest. It’s evident that the society has great references for these courses and as such most wealthy and influential parents (mostly the ignorant and or the pompous ones) would give anything to have their children walk in the shoes of being known as a successful Doctor rather than going for what they have passion for. And just like Albert said, every student is being judge solely with the outcome of an examination!
It is important to know that Exam Malpractices entails a lot and doesn’t necessarily involve students alone like we have said earlier. With all these in mind, we could now make some important corrections on how to effectively curb the educational canker worm.
1. The most important is changing the Educational mindset. It is very important here because the “outcome” of grading students have done more harm than good in general in the sense that most people go to school for the very reason of having good grades (that would get them a job) and this good grades could be achieved with any means possible (exam malpractices) but this shouldn’t be the case. Students should be made to enjoy the signs and wonders of science, the beauty of art and a deep sense of reverence or appreciatiom towards literature, history and politics.
Equally, if anything should be graded, student’s involvement in classes, tour and field work should equally be graded! Less emphasis should be laid in examination since student’s have channeled all their energy towards examination than the teaching learning process.
2. The second most important thing in curbing off exam malpractices in Nigeria Schools is to reduce or stop totally the sensitive hype of most white collar jobs. The society should unlearn the fact of naming some disciplines above the others. They should relearn that all courses are uniquely important and that due attention should be paid to each and everyone of these such courses. They should learn to include artists, musicians, Tv presenters, bloggers, humanitarians, Agro technicians, farmers, Entrepreneurs, Chef, teachers, lecturers, traders, cobblers, bank officers, political science, business education, archeologists, police officers, architectures, Scientists, Food scientists and thousands others as part and parcel of disciplines to be studied in any Nigeria institutions. This in turn will enable school children to evaluate themselves and choose what they love doing.
Disciplines choosed out of passion will scarcely lead to any form of examination malpractices since one is involved with what they love.
3. Also, tertiary institutions in Nigeria should curb the habit of transferring students to other departments without informing them before hand. Students’ should be made to accept the proposal before any tertiary institution would implement such admission. This in regards would make students aware of any corrections in their admission and give them the opportunity to choose a related course or choose something else that is still in line with their passion.
