A Survey of Examination Malpractice in West African Senior School Certificate Examination in Nigeria

This research work is a survey of examination malpractice in West African Senior Schoo> Certificate Examination in Nigeria. Cross-sectional survey research design was adopted for the study. A sample of 150 teachers, and 450 students (WASSCE candidates) randomly selected from 12 public senior secondary schools in the North Central geopolitical zone of Nigeria. The instrument Examination Malpractice Questionnaire for Teachers and Students (EMQTS) was designed for data collection. Three research questions were answered and one hypothesis war> tested. The result indicates that principals, teachers and students indulge in examination malpractice in secondary schools during WASSCE in Nigeria. It is acknowledged that examination malpractice is caused by examination anxiety, fear of failure and money wasted ana insufficient preparation. The result finally acknowledges that the major types of examination malpractice observed in secondary schools are: cheating from textbooks and internet, browsing using GSM-handset during examination, conspiracy between supervisor and school principals to write answers for students on the blackboard, selling of question papers to mercenary writers outside the examination hall. It is recommended among others that teachers and students should be counseled on the implications of examination malpractice. Proper arrangement and monitoring of students during exams will minimise examination malpractice.