THE recent call by the Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Rufai for the blacklisting of special examination centres, also called miracle centres, may seem to be a step in the right direction geared towards eradicating the monster of examination malpractice in the country.The Ministers proposal is however, half-hearted and amounts to merely scratching the problem on the surface. It is not known to what extent an ad-hoc measure like blacklisting special exam centres would solve the big issue of exam malpractice in the country. We think that a more holistic approach is needed to deal with the problem. More proactive strategies should be devised.Examination malpractice, in all its ramifications, has become hydra-headed and entrenched as part of the endemic corruption in the country, such that the challenge needs more in depth evaluation and engagement rather than a fragmentary course of action.While the role of special centres cannot be discountenanced, for they have contributed in promoting the malaise of exam cheating, there are other more critical dark spots that must be tackled if the battle against exam malpractice must be won. There is no guarantee that blacklisting the special exam centres alone would mark the end of cheating in examinations when the other more vicious factors remain untouched.The special centres, under normal circumstances, shouldnt exist in the first place if the examination bodies had taken extra steps to ensure that candidates are registered properly for the examinations. Failure to do this results in some candidates failing to do proper registration which in turn creates problems. Thus, special centres are created to accommodate those candidates with one problem or the other.Unfortunately, from being centres for problem candidates, the centres transformed into cheating centres that promote exam malpractice in so many ways. With the adoption of on-line registration, cases of candidates not shading their registration forms correctly has been greatly reduced, thereby making the existence of special centres unnecessary. But there are other issues.For example, what about public and private schools that deliberately encourage their students to cheat in examinations in order to boost the schools rating What about parents, teachers, invigilators and even some unscrupulous officials of the various examination bodies who collude with cheaters and compromise the examinations How does the Minister intend to tackle all thisWe have in a previous editorial decried one aspect of this matter namely the involvement of some bad eggs in some of the examination bodies, who, after being compromised, issue doctored statement of results to students who didnt earn the grades! The problem is as bad as that, obviously linked to the erosion of values and moral ideals in our society.The truth is that cheating in examinations in Nigeria has been institutionalised. This is unlike in the 70s or thereabout, when a few disgruntled students in some schools, perpetrated expo, as it was then called; the situation today is different. Students, parents and other stakeholders are eagerly involved. The abrasive corruption, which has penetrated every fabric of the Nigerian society, has helped to worsen the situation. This explains why even tertiary institutions that were hitherto immune to the malaise have suddenly become entangled in exam malpractice.The Minister asked for the blacklisting of special centres in Abuja while inaugurating an Implementation Committee on Release my Result. The committee is charged with the responsibility of ensuring prompt and complete release of candidates results in all the public exams conducted in the country. This is against the backdrop of cancellations, delays and withholding of results of some candidates by the examination bodies.The examination bodies include the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), National Examinations Council (NECO) and National Business and Technology Examination Board (NABTEB). The ball is in the court of these examination bodies to sit up and uphold the integrity of the exams they conduct. Emphasis should be placed on supervision.There is presently weak supervision in most of the examinations. The supervisors are not doing their job.The other thing is the poor state of most schools. Poor infrastructure, poor teacher motivation, incessant strikes among many other ills plaguing the society help to promote exam malpractice. All hands must be on deck to restore the integrity of examinations.
Click here to read full news..
