Why Exam Frauds Persist, by Exam Ethics Project

By UCHE ANUNNE,
Tuesday, October 4, 2005.

THE pervading atmosphere of corruption in the country is responsible for the increasing wave of examination malpractices, Mr. Ike Onyechere, the chairman of exam ethics project has argued.

Mr. Onyechere spoke in Abuja at the inauguration of conference of exam ethics fellows, Patrons and Ambassadors. "There is a direct relationship between examination malpractices in educational institutions in the wider society with our children being wearned on diete of fraud and malpractice, with educational institutions as factories for breeding potential fraudsters, the war against corruption succeed in the long term,” said Mr. Onyechere.

“The fact that examionation malpractice increased by 40% between 2003 and 2004 and by 276% between 1999 and 2004 should galvanise all educational stakeholders into action” he further argued. He regretted that political activities with associated election malpractices appears to also fuel examination fraud. He canvassed that individuals and agencies involved in the anti-corruption campaign should consider the effect of pervasive fraud in the education system on the anti-corruption campaign.
He picked holes in the examination malpractices law No. 33 of 1999 which he said created some loopeholes in its implementation.

Mr. Onyechere therefore said the exam ethics project would soon come up with a draft exam ethics Bill which would rectify the defects in the existing law on exam racketering. A research carried out by the project for exam malpractice in the country reveated that with 41.32 percentage exam fraud, Cross River State took the lead in the South?South Geo-Political Zone. The best state in the zone is Delta which recorded 18.18%.

The state with the worst exam fraud in the South East on revealed by the rating is Abia while Anambra emerged the best rated state. In the North Central, Kogi had the worst outing, while in the North-East, the dishonour went to Borno State, Kebbi topped the list in the North West, even as Ondo had the worst record for South-West.