Education stakeholders in Jos have expressed optimism that the planned adoption of Computer-Based Testing (CBT) by major examination bodies will reduce examination malpractice and curb the activities of so-called “miracle centres.”
The stakeholders, who spoke separately with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos on Monday, said CBT would make public examinations more secure and difficult to manipulate.
They, however, stressed that technology alone would not eliminate malpractice, urging examination bodies to strengthen supervision, uphold integrity and enforce strict penalties against offenders.
NAN reports that examination malpractice remains a major challenge in Nigeria’s education sector, with so-called “miracle centers” allegedly facilitating organized cheating during public examinations.
The stakeholders believe the planned adoption of CBT by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) and the National Examination Council (NECO) could significantly reduce such practices by limiting opportunities for question paper leakages and unauthorized assistance.
Mr Ugochukwu Amadi, Head of Biology at Command Secondary School, Jos, attributed examination malpractice partly to laziness and desperation among some students.
“Students are unwilling to study when malpractice appears like a shortcut. They would rather cheat to obtain certificates than acquire knowledge,” he said.
Amadi said CBT could make cheating more difficult through biometric authentication, automated grading and question reshuffling, while also eliminating some vulnerabilities associated with paper-based examinations.
He, however, called for improved teachers’ welfare, the deployment of credible examination supervisors and stiffer sanctions against candidates and officials involved in malpractice.
Similarly, Mr Akande John, Head of Science at Learning Field International Academy, Jos, identified fear of failure and the stigma associated with poor academic performance as factors driving some candidates to cheat.
He advocated randomization of questions and time-sensitive examinations to make it difficult for candidates to communicate or exchange answers during tests.
“Just like JAMB, questions should not be arranged in the same order, and the examination should be time-sensitive, making it difficult for candidates, especially strangers, to communicate,” John said.
He also recommended distributing candidates from the same school across different examination centers to limit coordinated cheating.
John further called for the installation of surveillance cameras at examination centers to strengthen monitoring and improve the effectiveness of invigilators.
The stakeholders urged students to prioritize hard work and genuine learning, while calling on parents, schools and examination bodies to promote integrity, fairness and merit across Nigeria’s education system.
source: NAN
