Examination Malpractice: The Seed of Corruption – By Muhammad Karamba

This is mid February. For most O’level students, this means hustling by all means to get the minimum required grades. It means making connections to get leaked papers. Miracle centers have already registered their candidates and are arranging a smooth ride for them. This is the reality our educational system is in today.

The saddest of it all is that, we have accepted the status-quo. Parents give their children money to register at miracle centers. Teachers get involved in all forms of malpractices.

School managements pay officials of examination bodies so they turn a blind eye. It has become a norm and we hardly see anything bad in it. Are we then being sincere when we call our leaders corrupt?

The SSCE examination is the first (and most important) ticket that introduces a student into the intellectual realm and it ultimately defines his success in it. Unfortunately, he could have that ticket without earning it and almost everyone in his society will be ok with it; some will even congratulate him.

How will he appreciate scholarship? How will such a student dedicate his time to studies when he could take shortcuts to the certificate? Come to think of the poor hardworking student who dedicates everything to rightfully earn his certificate.

We voted for change but indeed change begins with us. Maybe we restrict the meaning of change to only apply to the change we see on the elites. But if we are really sincere about it, we will begin here.

Just like the popular saying “be the change you want to see”. We are betraying our brothers, students and children by letting them go into this path. They would one day be the leaders of this nation and should we expect a corrupt free government from someone who has known shortcuts all his life? We need a serious campaign against this and it has to start from our immediate homes and communities.

Our governments are virtually doing nothing to remedy this cancer that has crippled our educational system. I thought examination malpractice was a form of corruption. Apparently, it is yet to be in Nigeria. A serious task force needs to be put in place.

There has to be a resistance. Probably a whistleblowers act too. It is the duty of the government to enforce the law.

I have met quite a number of people who are disturbed by this issue but have given up due to societal pressure. You soon become an outcast when you stand for causes like this. But no positive change has ever been welcomed in its initial stages.

We say we want change but what we mostly actually want is for the system to work whenever we need it to and vice-versa. Let’s fight examination malpractice now. CHANGE BEGINS WITH ME.

 

Muhammad Karamba

Twitter: @Mukib_