Addressing examination malpractice in Nigerian secondary schools: Challenges, effects and strategic solutions

Abstract

Examinations are essential for evaluating both teaching effectiveness and students' comprehension, serving as a measure of knowledge retention. However, examination malpractice undermines this process, distorting the accurate assessment of learning outcomes. The paper explores the measures implemented to address examination malpractice in Nigerian secondary schools, focusing on the challenges, effects and strategic solutions. This study discussed the concepts of examination and examination malpractice, identifying the root causes of malpractice and the various forms of examination malpractice. This research utilizes Robert K. Merton's Strain Theory to explain the causes of examination malpractice and Travis Hirschi's Control Theory to propose preventive strategies, offering a comprehensive framework for understanding and addressing the issue in Nigerian secondary schools. The study further identified the effects of examination malpractice, efforts made in curbing examination malpractice and challenges confronting measures to combat examination malpractice in Nigeria strategic solutions. The paper recommended that the government and educational institutions should significantly improve salaries and offer special incentives, such as regular salary reviews and bonuses for examination personnel, to discourage bribery and promote ethical behavior during examinations and also enforce the regulations guiding the administration of examinations in the country as this will deter intended offenders. It concludes that if this issue is not urgently addressed, it could lead to a severe erosion of educational standards, a loss of public trust in academic qualifications, and a broader collapse of societal values.