CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the study

Every patriotic citizen of any nation should be concerned about the subject of ethics in our everyday life. Because ethics is the only notion that projects morality and positive value orientation in all human activities, this is true. Ethics may successful adjudicate the nature of ultimate value and the norms of human conduct as right or bad. Ethics

principles aim to set acceptable norms or standards of behaviour against which an individual's behavior may be measured. Since the beginning of time, every human person has been seen as a moral agent capable of distinguishing between good and evil, and  is accountable for his or her actions. Regrettably, ethical norms have steadily shifted throughout time, and man has willfully chosen evil above good. As a result, extensive attempts are made in many forums to investigate people's actions of omission or conduct. Exam malpractice is one of these crimes, which has been highlighted as an incurable sore in most educational institutions, particularly in Nigeria. Nigeria is a country where examination results are utilized as a criterion for admission to higher institutions of learning and employment. Thus, students struggle to achieve good grades as a means of meeting the standards in whatever way possible. As a result, there is a significant rate of examination malpractice. A conscious violation of the norms and regulations governing a certain examination by an individual, group of people, or institution is known as examination malpractice.  School ethics are intended to give all students and lecturers with equitable teaching and learning opportunities in order to meet the school's aims and objectives in particular, as well as the national education goals in general (Nwakpa, 2010). As a result, engaging in exams malpractice equates to failing to achieve educational objectives. Examination malpractices, according to Asinya (2012), are widespread and unprecedented violations of norms and regulations governing internal and public examinations, from the scheduling of such exams through their administration, marking, and grading, as well as the distribution of results and issuing of certificates. This immoral behavior has infiltrated the fabric of the students, according to Dalton (2006), as varied styles and approaches are used to aid themselves and their fellow students in exchange of/for financial fulfillment. With the introduction of various styles and methods such as impersonation, thuggery, hooliganism, and physical assault, the use of mercenaries and the delay in the start of the examination, spying or giraffing, bringing prohibited materials to the examination halls, configured calculators, illegal communications, and the exchange of answer booklets, or question papers, Dalton, 2006; Alutu, & Aluede, 2005).  In our tertiary institution, the rate at which examination misconduct has increased is disturbing. With the advent of Information and Communication Technology (1CT), the threat has become more sophisticated, with students employing electronic devices to cheat in exams. This, to a significant measure, reflects the genuine depth of corruption, moral decay, and diversity that our society has acquired.

Statement of problem

Exam malpractice on the part of students, is clearly not a new phenomenon in academic schools. Impersonation, thuggery, hooliganism, and physical assault are examples of unethical behavior. Other examples include using mercenaries and delaying the start of the examination, spying or giraffing, bringing forbidden materials to the examination halls, rigged calculators, illegal communications, and exchanging answer booklets, tests, or question papers. The degradation in the standard and quality of education has come from these indecent actions and activities in higher education institutions. Due to the reduction in the quality of education in tertiary institutions, different empirical research have been conducted on how to handle test malpractice  in order to attain qualitative education (Alutu, & Aluede,2005). Despite these findings, the rise in examination malpractice  in higher  institutions has continued unabated (Dalton, 2006). This raises the question of whether any strategies for controlling examination malpractices  in tertiary institutions have been identified.

Objective of the study

The following are the objectives of the study

1. To examine if low self confidence is one of the reasons why students of university of Benin  involve in examination malpractices

2. To investigate how effective the strategies for controlling examination malpractice is in university of Benin

3. To investigate if lack of proper guidance on course enrollment leads to examination malpractice

Research questions

1. How is low self confidence one of the reasons why students of university of Benin involve in examination malpractice

2. How effective is the strategies for controlling examination malpractice in university of Benin

3. Do lack of proper guidance on course enrollment lead to examination malpractice

Significance of the study

This study will be useful to the government since it will advise them on how to offer suitable facilities for schools in order to boost the teaching-learning process. It will be beneficial to tertiary institutions' authorities since it will ensure that every student receives a handbook on code of conduct, and the signature of an anti-social form by students should be required for admission and registration.

Scope of the study

The purpose of this research is to examine administrative strategies for controlling examination malpractices in Nigerian tertiary institution. The geographical scope of this work covers University of Benin

Limitation of the study

Finance,time constraint and lack of research materials were the major challenges faced by the researcher during the course of this study

Definition of terms

Examination Malpractice: Examination malpractice is defined as any deliberate act of wrong doing, contrary to the rules of examinations designed to give a candidate an undue advantage.

References

1. Prof Maureen, N.K , Prof Barineme B.F (2018)  Strategies for the reduction of exam malpractice :the case of Nigerian educational system . Conference paper

2. Wosowei, Monica, U.P , Prof Nwafor, S.O and Dr Nwogu, U.J (2016) Strategies for managing examination practice as students unethical behaviour in tertiary institution in Bayelsa state, Nigeria. Journal of educational policy and entrepreneurial research. pp 39-45. ISSN :2408- 6231

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