Dead end for examination malpractice

Dead end for examination malpractice

• As WAEC introduces devices to tackle menace
• Equipment to send real-life situation in exam hall to base
An end to examination malpractice in the country appears to be in sight. In its bid to tackle this men­ace, the management of West Af­rican Examinations Council (WAEC) has introduced two new ICT devices to curb the malaise with stakeholders describing the development as a major breakthrough to combat exam fraud.
Our source gathered that one of the initiatives was used during the May/June 2014 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) while the second one would be introduced during the Nov/ DEC 2014 WASSCE.
WAEC Head of National Office (HNO), Mr. Charles Eguridu, toldDaily Sunthat the devices were meant to check exam malpractice, saying that the measures were approved by the Nigeria Examinations Committee (NEC) at one of its meetings.
The decision by NEC to support WAEC management to introduce the two ICT devices followed continued increase in exam fraud committed by candidates in both the May/June and Nov/Dec WASSCE and in some cases aided by the invigilators, school management or hired agents or parents who funded such illegal acts.
In the last five years, WAEC had withheld thousands of results because of candidate alleged involvement in examination malpractices while NEC which meets twice in a year, has cancelled many results and even certificates and has also banned schools found wanting while directing state ministries of education to sanction principals and teachers who were indicted during either the May/June or Nov/Dec WASSCE.
In the Nov/Dec 2012 WASSCE, 47,289 candidates’ results, representing 11.04 per cent out of 413,266 of those who sat for the private candidates’ exam were withheld for various cases of examination malpractice. In the May/June 2012 WASSCE, the exam body withheld the results of 112,865 candidates, representing 6.5 per cent out of 1,689,188million who wrote the school exam for exam fraud.
The National Examinations Committee (NEC) of the council after its meeting which deliberated on the conduct of the May/June 2012 WASSCE withdrew recognition for 113 secondary schools nationwide, as sanctions for exam fraud while results of 30,654 candidates were cancelled.
In the Nov/Dec 2013 WASSCE, 38,260 candidates, representing 12.88 per cent of 308,217 who sat for the exam was withheld in connection with various cases of examination malpractice. In the May/June 2014 WASSCE, 145,795 candidates (8.61 per cent) out of 1,705,976million students had their results withheld for different types of exam fraud.
Worried by the continuous increase in examination malpractice in both the school and private candidates’ exams, WAEC NEC approved the introduction of the two ICT devices to curb the menace and give credibility to examinations being conducted by the council. And already, WAEC management has test run one of the tools.
According to WAEC HNO, Mr. Eguridu, the council introduced the use of Candidates Identity Verification, Attendance, Malpractice and Post Examinations Management Systems (CIVAMPEMS) to monitor candidates in the exam halls. He said that the ICT tool was used for the first time during the May/June 2014 WASSCE, describing the device as a timely approach to a more effective administration of exam day process.
WAEC said CIVAMPEMS would seek to address and record real time-examination-day processes, capturing and recording events/ occurrences as they happen, with the ability to report them in a timely manner, availing users of the system access, reliable data and post examinations reports. The ICT tool works using the mobile, handheld terminal, REFID Smartcards and UV torch light.
Another special feature of the CIVAMPEMS was that the device could produce students’ subject information while the invigilator or supervisor could use it to register candidates’ attendance at examination and record malpractice committed by students during exam as well as confirm examination code and handle candidates without cards.
The second ICT device to be introduced during the Nov/Dec 2014 WASSCE was a Mathematical instrument with in-built scientific calculator which would stop the use of unapproved calculators and mobile phones. Our source was told that exam fraud increased following the introduction of cell phones in the country as candidates stored worked answers or received information from their agents outside while the examination was on.
Eguridu told our correspondent after the release of the May/June 2104 WASSCE the two ICT devices were approved by NEC which were meant to tackle examination malpractice and was pleased with the results from the deployment of the CIVAMPEMS noting that “the data it sent was wonderful and have been stored. It captured real-life situation during the school exam.
While releasing the school exam results, the HNO said with effect from the May/ June 2014 WASSCE, the council introduced CIVAMPEMS adding that “this ICT-driven device enables supervisors and staff of the council on duty, to address and record the processes in real time on the day of the examination. These include identity verification, capturing and recording occurrences as they happen, such as candidates’ attendance and examination malpractice and transmit same to our data base. With this, the council is able to generate valid examination reports for each examination centre.
“Furthermore, the council, beginning with the Nov/Dec 2014 WASSCE, in order to maintain uniformity, guard against malpractice and improve standards, has designed and is introducing customised, transparent Mathematical sets, with in-built, non-programmable scientific calculators, which conform to the rules and regulations of its examinations.”
He warned prospective candidates, for both the May/June and Nov/Dec WASSCE diets, to note that, henceforth, bringing in any other non-approved Mathematical set or calculator into examination halls would not be allowed. Models of the WAEC-customised mathematical set would be made available to schools to assist them in preparing their candidates for the council’s examinations.
The HNO further added that the council, with effect from 2014 WASSCE, was introducing biometric-enabled certificates. Each certificate would have a QR code with details of the candidate’s biometric features and actual grades encrypted.
The Proprietor of Royal Academy, Ibadan, Chief Laide Oluwaseun, in a phone interview on the introduction of the two ICT devices commended the management of WAEC for taking the initiative to curb examination malpractice stressing that “monitoring candidates in the exam halls using the device will go a long way to reduce the incidence of exam malpractice. For the Mathematical set, it will stop students going into the halls with their mobile phones.”
Tunde Adeola, an SS 111 student of Famous International School, Ikotun, Lagos, said he was not aware of the two new ICT devices but welcomed the introduction of the devices by WAEC stressing that it would help to check exam fraud by candidates, schools and even some invigilators who aided and abetted examination malpractice.
The Mathematical instrument with in-built scientific calculator was used by candidates who sat for the last WASSCE starting with Economics paper 1 and 2. Despite the warning not to bring their calculators to the exam hall, many of the private candidates came along with the devices and had them seized.
Eguridu toldour source while monitoring the last WASSCE that supervisors and invigilators did not adhered to the instruction to give out the Maths set to the candidates as witnessed in some exam centres visited by WAEC management stressing that “we did give it to the candidates at the point of sale of the exam forms because we don’t want cloning and candidates planting unwanted or prepared items inside.”
From the excitement on the faces of WAEC management after the introduction of the CIVAMPEMS in the May/June 2014 WASSCE, it is obvious that the two ICT devices would go a long way in curbing examination fraud and also putting schools in check to avoid being blacklisted by NEC